


Right Here Waiting

by ParkBaekkie



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, Fantasy, Fluff, Heavy Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:26:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 24,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23503081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ParkBaekkie/pseuds/ParkBaekkie
Summary: Time flies really fast but slow to those who wait.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai
Comments: 19
Kudos: 66





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a threeshot that I wrote back in 2017. Prepare your heart, I guess.

"You're always staring at that portrait, Granpa."

Kyungsoo lightly squeezes his Grandpa's hand as he smiles. His grandfather gives him a weak nod as a reply, blinking his eyes slowly while he looks ahead at the portrait of a young man painted in oil. It is hanging on the wall beside the grandfather clock adjacent to an old telephone Kyungsoo knows his grandfather treasures a lot.

"You need to rest. You must be tired."

"Son," the old man mutters in his raspy voice, not bothering to tear his gaze away from that hazel brown eyes. "You know that I can't rest yet..."

Kyungsoo furrows his eyebrows as he fixes his grandfather's pillow. "But it's past your nap time already."

The old man chuckles wryly. "Is that so? You can leave now, Kyungsoo. He's waiting for you."

"Jongin can wait," Kyungsoo answers as he snickers. "He's always there to wait."

"I'm glad... that you still have time... to spend with each other." The old man's movements are lagged due to his age. "So treasure every moment that you are together... Because time flies... Really fast.... But slow... To those who wait..."

"What are you talking about, Grandpa? You're being creepy!" Kyungsoo says as he glares at the gray-haired man lying defenseless on the bed. "It's like you're going to leave soon."

"Maybe soon... We don't know."

"But you haven't met him yet..."

"I can feel... that it is coming," his grandpa mutters. "So you should see Jongin now, too."

Kyungsoo frowns as he fixes his specs on top of his nose. "Fine. I'm gonna call Jongin."

The old man nods, closing his eyes as he places his bony hands on top of his stomach. He hums, letting the sunlight streak to his wrinkled face. Kyungsoo just sighs as he closes the door with a silent click.

*

The sweaty and grinding bodies don't stop Baekhyun from rocking into the music as he waves his neon-blue lightstick up in the air. His soul is free, he tells himself, just for this night, he'll forget about the reality outside this club. Closing his eyes, he smiles and savors the moment of the cheering and dancing nameless people he doesn't care about.

Ah, what a good feeling he has right now. Only the deafening beats of music and the reek of alcohol are the things his senses can perceive. He opens his eyes, and the blinding colorful lights strike his vision, but it's all right. More than okay even. At least they're not dull unlike his boring life.

"Hey baby, you wanna get out of here?" a voice on his left asks him, causing him to turn his head around. Jongin gives him a flirty smile, which Baekhyun nonchalantly chuckled at.

"Why, are you gonna fuck me?" Baekhyun says.

"No," Jongin answers. "I don't fuck virgins."

Baekhyun shakes his head, letting out an amused smile. "God, I hate you so much."

"But seriously though, try checking out your watch. It's already 1 in the morning," Jongin says, pulling Baekhyun away from the throng of dancing people. "We still have a goddamned test tomorrow in Physics."

"We could just always ask Kyungsoo for the answers?" Baekhyun, as he pouts, hopefully suggests, dragging his feet on the dance floor. "I'm not even wasted yet!"

"First, I didn't date Kyungsoo for that. Second, I didn't bring you here to get drunk. And third, you promised me we're going to stay here until 12 midnight only. So? Let's go."

"But I hate rules," Baekhyun mumbles, and his eyebrows are now furrowing as Jongin practically throws him inside the car. He yelps when the door slams in front of his face.

"And I hate your height," his best friend adds shortly.

"Well, I hate your boyfriend," Baekhyun mocks. "He's such a nerd who loves collecting old stuff. He's a weirdo. He even wears specs. God, who still wears that?"

"At least he's good in bed," Jongin says as he drives, looking at his best friend through the rear-view mirror of the car with a smirk on his lips. "Especially when I was on my back"

"You didn't just tell me he topped you."

"Once."

Baekhyun looks horrified. "Oh my god."

"On his birthday."

"The fuck?"

Jongin snickers.

"I can't believe Kim Fucking Jongin bottomed for Do Kyungsoo! Oh my god!!!"

"Will you just, will you shut up?"

Baekhyun slides down the window of the car as he shouts, "I can't believe Kim Fucking Jongin bottomed for Do Kyungsoo!!!"

Rolling his eyes, Jongin swerves the stirring wheel as he retorts back, "And I can't believe Byun Baekhyun is still a fucking virgin!"

Baekhyun is about to strangle his best friend's neck when his phone inside his pocket rings. Thinking it's his Mom again, he ignores the call and leans his head against the windowsill tiredly.

His phone keeps ringing.

"Care to answer your phone?"

Baekhyun sighs. "No."

"It's so annoying."

"Fine," Baekhyun says, pulling out his phone with a huff and putting it against his ear. "Hello?"

_Tssh. Tssh._

"Hello?" Baekhyun peeks at the screen. It's from an unknown number. He squints his eyes. "Who's this?"

He hears an almost audible voice, it's not clear, though. Deciding he'll just hang up because it might be a prank call, Baekhyun halts when he hears a voice again.

 _Tssh. Tssh. Tssh_.

[H-hello?]

"Hello," Baekhyun repeats. "Who's this?"

[I-is this the company editor?]

"The what?"

[Mr. Editor?]

Too tired and sleepy in the middle of 1am, Baekhyun mutters, "You called the wrong number."

[This is not the editor?]

Baekhyun sighs in disinterest. "No. Bye--"

[Wait!]

A snort. "What?"

[Are you sure you're really not the editor?]

"No."

[Oh. Thank god. C-can I ask for a favor? You see, I'm an intern at a news agency and my seniors have already gone home. I-I was the only one left in the office and I can't go out. If you don't mind, can you please give me a copy of today's newspaper?]

Baekhyun almost chuckles if not for his bad mood, because really, who in their right mind would ask for a newspaper at this ungodly hour? From a random stranger on the phone? He must be desperate, Baekhyun thinks. And his voice, too, sounds really frightened.

Jongin shoots him a glare but Baekhyun ignores it.

"A newspaper? Seriously?"

[Y-yes, I need to finish my journal this morning so I was wondering if I could take some of your time to get me one. I'm sorry...]

"You could just look up the news online. Don't you have wifi there or something?"

[S-sorry but, but I can't, I can't hear you. The reception here is terrible.]

Massaging his temples, Baekhyun groans under his breath, pulling away from the phone.

"Jongin, can we drop by at the newsstand on the way? I have to get a newspaper." He sees a newsstand by the street. "Oh, there it is. Stop the car."

"Wait. What will you get?" Jongin lifts an eyebrow.

"A newspaper."

"You could barely read a book and now you're telling me you're getting a newspaper."

"Just fucking pull over."

Jongin stops the car so Baekhyun gets off, heading to the newsstand to get the said newspaper. Grabbing a spread, he puts his phone on his ear again.

"Still there? I have it now."

[Oh, thank you so much! Just, uh, just put it in the mailbox across the street.]

On the street, Baekhyun sets his eyes across him, seeing a red rusty mailbox. He pads towards the mailbox, folds the newspaper, puts it inside and closes the lid. He could hardly close it because it's too old and rusty.

"There. All done."

[I'll get it later after I finish the first page of my paper. Thank you very much, uh--]

"Baekhyun," Baekhyun says. "My name's Baekhyun."

The person on the other line laughs, making Baekhyun suddenly caught off guard. He hasn't heard a laugh of that kind before.

[I'm Chanyeol. Nice to meet you, Baekhyun. You're my savior!]

Jongin doesn't ask anymore why Baekhyun is laughing secretly as he murmurs _'what a weird newspaper guy'_ to himself.

*

The next time another unknown number called, is the month after the last incident.

Baekhyun has just broken up with his seventh boyfriend for the month, whose name was Sehun, because said ex-boyfriend was cheating on him with some Chinese guy. He doesn't love him that much anyway, so it's all right. Besides, Sehun is a terrible kisser, he has a lisp because of his braces and he's a mama's boy. Why did Baekhyun even date him in the first place?

"Right. Because he's tall," Baekhyun murmurs to himself, letting out a frustrated wail. "I'll start hating tall people now."

He knows he can always find a replacement anytime he wants, anyway. But not now.

He's tired, he just wants to stare at the ceiling and empty his mind. He has gone through failed relationships and that makes him think he's not good enough. Maybe if he becomes one with the ceiling, the right guy for him would break in to his window so that there could be that someone he can call his forever. Really, Baekhyun is not that desperate to find a special someone, his only someone. He just wants to experience how it is to be genuinely valued, to be taken care of, to be made loved with, just like how Jongin does to Kyungsoo.

Maybe Baekhyun is destined to become a monk or something, because he can already sense he would die a virgin. In the past, he didn't let his exes get anywhere near his ass, and he's somewhat regretting it right now.

"Ugh, fuck you," Baekhyun groans into his pillow which is soaked with tears. Whether he admit it or not, he cried a lot because of that asshole. There, he said it. He was hurt. He wants to punch him on the face. "Fuck you, you jerk!"

And his phone rings, pulling him out of his dramatic state. Glaring at the ringing device, he answers it and presses it against his ear.

"So now what!? You're gonna come back to me? Huh?! So you finally realized?" Baekhyun yells into his phone just as soon as he picks up. "Too late! I don't fucking want you anymore! I fucking hate you, Oh Sehun. You hear that!? You should just better stick your cock into that bitch's filthy ass! Fuck you!"

Silence answers him.

"Why aren't you saying anything!?"

A cough.

[Uhm. I-I'm not, I just.. I'm sorry.]

 _Oh shit_.

Baekhyun, in record time, looks at his phone's screen, realizing it was not his ex.

+82 83 4992 3256.

It's an unknown number.

[Sorry, I didn't mean to--]

"W-who the fuck is this!? Why were you listening!?"

[I-I don't have a choice, I was just trying to--]

"You could've just hung up! Goddamnit! Ugh, this is so embarrassing," Baekhyun mutters, bumping his forehead against his pillow. "Who's this anyway?"

[Uh, I'm the guy from last month, if you still remember?]

"Are you one of my exes who broke up with me because I'm too fab and you needed time and space and all that shit?"

A chuckle.

[No.]

"Who the hell is this?"

[Is this the company editor?]

At that, Baekhyun pauses.

"What."

Again, the other person heartily laughs.

[You're my savior!]

And at this, Baekhyun's lips curve into a little smile as realization suddenly strikes him.

"Oh. The newspaper guy."

[I have a name, I'm not newspaper guy.]

"Chamyeol, right."

Baekhyun lies on his sides and plays with the lightswitch of his lampshade.

[It's Chan-Yeol, not Chamyeol, Baecon.]

"It's not Baecon, it's Baek-Hyun."

Chanyeol cackles, and Baekhyun thinks this dude has a really nice voice.

"So, why did you call?"

[Uhm. It seemed weird that I called you on accident last time, so I just wanted to apologize. I was just in a hurry so I hadn't checked what number I was dialing. And uh, I want to thank you for the newspaper. I got it in the morning that day. Thank you, you're a kind person.]

Baekhyun snorts, rolling on his back. "I'm not a kind person. Look what I've just told you earlier. I have a bad attitude."

[People tend to say things like that when they are angry, don't they? So I understand why you acted that way. It's your defense mechanism.]

"Right," Baekhyun says with a snort, but there's no heat in his words. "You must be smart."

[I've been told. Haha.]

"I hate smart people," Baekhyun comments. "And tall people, too."

[Oh, good thing you can't see me!]

Baekhyun laughs, he just laughs freely. He doesn't know what's the reason behind but he just finds himself feeling comfortable talking with this stranger he met a month ago, or rather, a few minutes ago. He rarely talks to people he doesn't know, let alone communicate with anonymous people either on phone or social networking sites.

"Do you have an Instagram or Facebook account?" Baekhyun asks as he opens his Ipad nearby. "I wanna see how you look like. I'll follow you on Twitter, too."

[Sorry I-I don't understand. The reception here is quite unstable.]

"I said," Baekhyun sighs. "Can I have your name in SNS?"

[Oh. I-I don't have things like that. I'm sorry.]

"Okay. Nevermind."

Baekhyun throws his Ipad and it lands on his spongebob pillow.

[Baekhyun, do you mind if I call you whenever I need someone to talk to?]

 _Weird_ , Baekhyun tells himself. He could just hang up and ignore this guy but he can't. It's like, his voice is drawing him closer. He seems nice, and there's nothing wrong talking to someone on the phone, so why not? Chanyeol could be an addition to his small circle of friends which consists of Jongin, his pet puppies, and Kyungsoo.

"No," Baekhyun answers, shrugging his shoulders like Chanyeol could see him. "I mean, it's fine. You can call anytime."

[Oh, thank you!]

"But why though? Don't you have friends there to talk to?"

[Uh, people here are always busy. And uhm, old.]

"I figured. You're working at a news agency," Baekhyun says, shuffling on the bed for a more comfortable position.

[So what do you do, Baekhyun?]

"Well, it's my third year as a college student. I don't work part-time like you do. My parents are supporting me so I don't have to worry. They give me money and groceries every month. They pay my condo and my bills, too. And I'm still waiting for my new car on my birthday."

[Woah. You're like a prince.]

"I've been told," Baekhyun replies, smirking. "And I also look like one."

Chanyeol laughs.

[Can you tell me how you look like?]

"All right, close your eyes."

[Uhm, okay. I'm done.]

"Do you know the famous Korean actor, Wang Eun? I look exactly like him," Baekhyun says, grinning to himself. "Like, a carbon copy."

[Wang Eun? Oh, I-I've never heard of that name...]

"You know, the guy with pretty eyes, nice lips. Small face, fluffy black hair? Beautiful elegant hands? Curvy hips?"

[I-I still don't know him, though. But don't worry! I can already imagine your appearance right now. You must be good-looking.]

"I really am," Baekhyun says. "I'm prettier than Z. Hera."

[Who is that?]

Baekhyun grimaces.

"Are you a neanderthal or what," he mutters, rolling his eyes. "I bet you're calling using a telephone with curly wires and all that rotating shit. And that telephone is placed by the hallway beside a grandfather clock."

[H-how did you know?! Are you at my house right now? Where are you hiding?]

Baekhyun gawks in disbelief.

"Chanyeol, are you wearing specs right now?"

[Yes, I am. A-are you really here!?]

"Oh my god, seriously," Baekhyun mutters, a smile sitting on his lips. His instincts are right, that Chanyeol is of Kyungsoo's kind. He's one of those guys who loves to be stuck in a library than go clubbing at night. Baekhyun doesn't have a thing for that type of guys but he thinks Chanyeol could be an exception.

[Baekhyun, you better show up now.]

"I'm not there and I can't be there because I'm here in my room right now," Baekhyun says. "I was just kidding when I said that."

There are shifting noises on the other line so Baekhyun thinks Chanyeol might be moving.

[Oh. Y-you scared me. I thought you were the one moving there at the corner--oh my god!!!]

Baekhyun's heart leaps. "W-what happened!?"

[Oh. It's just my cat.]

If it were Jongin, Baekhyun had already smacked him on the face and cursed at him to death. He just smiles, snickering silently.

"Cool. You're scared of a cat."

[It's a big cat, okay.]

Baekhyun gets a glimpse of the time. He doesn't even notice it's 12:36am in the midnight already. Time flies really fast.

"Hey. I think I need to go. I still have to wake up early tomorrow."

[Oh, I see. Thank you for spending your precious time talking to me. I hope I wasn't a bother.]

"It's nothing. I actually needed someone to talk to, and suddenly you're here, so."

Chanyeol chuckles, and Baekhyun starts adoring his laughs from now on.

[Good bye.]

"Bye."

And the line goes dead.

"This is fucking crazy," Baekhyun tells himself as he puts back his phone on the nightstand. "Me talking with a stranger on the phone. He could be a killer or a swindler." He shrugs. "Or just a normal guy like me."

Baekhyun sleeps soundly that night for the first time in weeks.

*

The call progresses from once a month to once a week, from once a week to thrice a week, from thrice a week to everyday, and from every day to every hour.

From the months they have been talking on the phone, they have shared various stories with one another. Baekhyun learned that Chanyeol is the youngest and his brothers and sisters have their own families now. He's living in an antique house with his parents who are both government employees. Baekhyun then told Chanyeol that he's an only child and his parents are doctors abroad so he's always alone. He also shared that he's not a bit interested in medicine, but in music, and he wants to be a singer someday.

Chanyeol had prodded him to sing for him one night, but Baekhyun had refused, saying he'll just sing to him when Chanyeol sings first. Baekhyun promised that he'll sing on his birthday so the other male had agreed. That was 11pm in the evening when Baekhyun's ears heard an old folk song he couldn't remember the title.

That night, Baekhyun decided he didn't like Chanyeol's voice, because he loved it. He really admired it. His singing voice was deep and beautiful, having a soothing feel in it that had Baekhyun closing his eyes with a smile on his face. He told Chanyeol precisely that, and Baekhyun knew the other male was flustered because of the stuttering of his words as well as his shaky breathing, and that made Baekhyun's tummy suddenly flip. Chanyeol thanked him quick before saying goodbye and good night, his voice croaking at the end of his sentence.

Baekhyun decides there's nothing much cool about Chanyeol, but he hasn't felt any single bit of boredom talking to the other guy. It's like they've been best friends since birth, that everything each other says has a comment from one another. They have different personalities, Baekhyun figures. He's outgoing and Chanyeol is old-fashioned, but that makes his interest in the other male grow. Chanyeol is the exact opposite of the guys he has dated before, so that leaves his new friend a little bit special, aside from the fact that they haven't seen each other yet in these digital days.

They could've just do a video call but Baekhyun doubts Chanyeol has a Skype account. Besides, he must be busy with work to make one. So, Baekhyun came up with an idea, after three months of talking on the phone, that they should finally meet each other in person.

"Is that okay with you?" Baekhyun asks as he lies on his stomach, his phone sandwiched between his cheek and shoulder. "I mean, aren't you curious about how I really look like in flesh? Because if you ask me if I was curious about you, well, then I am."

[Oh. How can you describe me in your imagination?]

"Well, let's see," Baekhyun thinks for a while. "I imagine you having a big pair of eyes and ears? And uhm, you have nice teeth, I guess. Oh, you could also have pretty lips."

[Wow, good guess!]

Chanyeol heartily chuckles, sniffing his runny nose. He told Baekhyun earlier he's suffering from a cold because it's getting chilly nowadays. He forgot to bring his coat when he went out to buy groceries last night that's why he's at home right now. Baekhyun was puzzled as he looked outside his window, thinking since when did summer get that chilly.

[I really want to see you too, Baekhyun. So I could also know if my drawing of you really matches the real you.]

"Y-you drew me?" Baekhyun asks, flabbergasted.

[Yes. I have several sketches here but I'm not yet convinced that my drawings look close to the real you. ]

"Wow," Baekhyun mutters. "I wanna see your drawings. No one has ever drawn me before, except from Jongin and his stickman in third grade."

Chanyeol chuckles.

[I will give you my drawing on your birthday, as a gift.]

"And that would be next week," Baekhyun supplies as he stares at the ceiling blankly. They both fall into a comfortable silence with just their steady breathing filling the air.

"I'm so excited to meet you," he adds afterwards. "More than to celebrate my birthday."

[Really? Why?]

"My parents won't be able to come home. They're just gonna send my new car here and I'm just gonna have to celebrate my birthday alone.... Yet again," Baekhyun says with a bitter chuckle. "Other times though, Jongin would drop by and we'd play video games like normal days. He'd bring Kyungsoo with him, but they'd just have to go home soon... Then I'd realize after they left that I was, you know, alone again."

Baekhyun hasn't told those things to anyone, not even to Jongin. He admits he gets jealous when Jongin would hang out with Kyungsoo more than him. But what could he do? Kyungsoo is Jongin's boyfriend so he'd just have to let Jongin go, or worst, tag along with them like a third-wheeler at times when he doesn't have a boyfriend.

So maybe, that is another reason why he kept on changing boyfriends. He wants a friend who can accompany him all the time, but none of them stayed long until the end.

He is always being left alone.

[I'm sorry to hear that. It must be sad living alone. What if you get sick and no one's there to take care of you?]

Baekhyun tiny smiles. "I'm used to it, though. It's okay."

[Don't be sad anymore, all right? I'm not good at comforting people but I just want to tell you that I'm always here for you. Even you can't see me, I'm always here to listen.]

Baekhyun is touched by Chanyeol's words he feels like there are tears forming on the corners of his eyes. He doesn't want to cry because he's a strong person. Tough people never cry.

[Besides, we'll see each other on your birthday, right? That's next week! I already freed my schedule so we could hang out all day.]

Baekhyun eats his words because he's now crying, and he knows this is crazy because he's smiling.

"That sounds," Baekhyun sniffs. "Nice..."

[A-are you crying?]

"No, I'm just, having a cold, too. You know, because of the weather," he lies. He grabs a tissue from his beside table and wipes his tears.

[Baekhyun. Please don't get sick... I will worry about you a lot.]

Baekhyun can trace genuine concern in his voice, causing him to blush like a teenage girl.

"What the fuck. This is just nothing," he blurts out, pouting. "You're over reacting like my Mom."

[S-sorry... I didn't mean it that way. I'm just concerned about your health.]

"I'm a doctor's son remember? I can take care of myself," Baekhyun proudly says as he lets out a laugh. "And hey, I probably caught your cold from this phone. It's your fault."

Chanyeol laughs, and Baekhyun isn't sad anymore.

[Baekhyun. I'm excited to see you I can't even sleep.]

Baekhyun chokes on his saliva. "Stop flirting with me."

[I-I am not!]

He snorts. "Duh."

[Hey, you promised me you're going to sing for me, right? Come on! Do it.]

Baekhyun's heart suddenly races, nervous, not that he's going to sing, but because he's going to sing for Chanyeol for the first time.

"Like, right now?"

[Yes, I bet you have a really beautiful voice.]

Baekhyun flushes a deep shade of red because of the compliment. Good thing Chanyeol can't see him right now. Backing away from his phone, he clears his throat and takes a deep breath. He hasn't sung for a while now so he's not sure if it would come out great or not.

[Hey? Baekhyun?]

"Don't laugh, all right?"

[I won't!]

Baekhyun starts singing after he clears his throat.

🎵"I'm only one, call away~ I'll be there to save the day. Superman got nothing on me~"🎵

Baekhyun gets up on the bed and crosses his legs as he leans his head against the headboard.

🎵"I'm only one... call away~"🎵

Chanyeol laughs, and it makes Baekhyun want to maybe curl into a ball.

🎵"Call me baby if you need a friend. I just wanna give you love~"🎵

🎵"Come on, come on, come on~"🎵

🎵"Reaching out to you, so take chance. No matter where you go, you know you're not alone~"🎵

Chanyeol listens with a smile on his face.

🎵"I'm only one, call away~ I'll be there to save the day. Superman got nothing on me~"🎵

Baekhyun stops singing. He peeks at his phone and sees the timer still increasing up. 2:15:09.

[I'm still here. Please continue.]

Baekhyun clears his throat.

🎵"I'm only one."🎵

A pause, before he sings again.

🎶🎵"Call away..."🎶🎵

Baekhyun swallows and breathes after he sings. Chanyeol is not yet speaking on the other line.

No one dares to speak.

Baekhyun glances at his alarm clock. 12:01 am.

[Happy Birthday, Baekhyun.]

"Happy birthday to me," Baekhyun repeats, smiling sadly. "I'm now twenty one years young."

[Great. We're of the same age now.]

Baekhyun laughs.

[I love your voice, it was really amazing. I could listen to you sing all day. No wonder many guys had fallen in love with you.]

Baekhyun mentally tells himself not to smile like a fool. "Th-thank you."

[Make a wish! Pretend I am there holding a cake with candles.]

"Seriously?" Baekhyun laughs, imagining there is a guy in at the foot of his bed holding a birthday cake. "That's fucking creepy."

[Just make a wish!]

"Okay uhm. I wish we could be friends forever! Like, until we die."

[That's... that's not a good wish.]

Baekhyun frowns. "What, why not?"

A pause.

[I don't want us to be friends forever.]

Baekhyun's heart starts thumping, and it's so disturbing like he just wants to hang up on him, but he just can't because he wants to hear Chanyeol's deep voice more.

"W-what are you talking about," Baekhyun mumbles, "I mean, what's the matter?"

[Because uhm, y-you see, well I... I've been feeling something lately that has to do with you... ]

"Y-yeah?" Baekhyun gulps, "And what is that?"

[Baekhyun, I think I've...]

"You think you've?"

[I think I already fe--

The connection is suddenly cut off

"Chan-- hello!?"

He hears nothing.

"What th fuck!?" Baekhyun curses at the black screen of his phone, glaring at it. His phone has already ran out of battery. "FUCK!!!"

_I think I've..._

"What could that be," he murmurs to himself with a faint blush on his cheeks. Chanyeol's serious voice is still ringing in his ears like a broken record.

"Damn it! You're making me insane!" He squirms on the bed like a salted worm and kicks his feet in the air as he rolls like a buffalo. "Fuck this phone!!! Ugh!"

Baekhyun plugs in the charger of his phone as he waits for it to get fully charged so he could call Chanyeol again. He ends up falling asleep though, as he dreams of him and his phone pal having a date inside a coffee shop.

Baekhyun doesn't know he's smiling all throughout his sleep.

*

It's the sixth of the month of May.

With a bouquet of red roses in hand and a sketchpad squished under his arm, Chanyeol enters Demitasse coffee shop thirty minutes before their call time. He waves at the barista who ushers him to a seat nearest to the door.

"Looks like you have a date today," the young barista says, who became his friend during his all-nighter moments. Chanyeol just smiles sheepishly, scratching his nape shyly.

"I'm just going to meet a friend. It's his birthday today."

"Oh, I see." The barista nods, giving the tall male a knowing smile. "So what can I get you?"

"The usual," Chanyeol replies. He places the flowers and sketchpad on the table as he smooths his properly-ironed clothes. He takes a deep breath.

"This is it," he mutters.

If only there is only a phone which he can carry outside his house, then he had already called Baekhyun. Their home telephone is the only device he can use to contact Baekhyun, that's why sometimes, he wishes he also has that cool stuff his friend was talking about so he can get in touch with him anytime, anywhere he wants. He wonders where in the world can he get a thing called laptop, Ipad, smartphone and LTE. Laughing, he remembers Baekhyun calling him a nerd caveman when he told the other male that he didn't know what a 4K UHD television is. Chanyeol has no idea what does even 4K mean. Why does it have to be a television?

"He's really funny," he mutters, smiling like an idiot. He wants to contact him now and check him out, hear his voice for the last time to know he's coming. Crazy may it sound, but he already misses Baekhyun so much.

Fixing his specs on top of his nose, Chanyeol clears his throat and practices the lines he has prepared to say to Baekhyun. He really arrived early for their meeting, giving him the time to relax his nerves and heart.

Because finally, he's going to meet Baekhyun. He'll finally meet the person he has fallen madly, deeply in love with just by hearing his beautiful voice on the phone for the first time. He knows Baekhyun has a rude behavior, has an obscene mouth who curses a lot, he also has a bad temper which Chanyeol couldn't care less.

For him, Baekhyun is adorable with all his flaws, and that makes him perfect. Chanyeol doesn't really know what happened on earth why he fell for the other male he hasn't even seen yet. But he doesn't care and there's nothing wrong with falling in love. It's what his heart dictates him, that he loves Baekhyun. And that's what only matters to him now.

So he has finally decided that he's going to confess to Baekhyun just as soon as they meet in person.

"H-hi, it's me. Chanyeol," Chanyeol whispers to himself as he looks at the vacant seat in front of him. As he smiles awkwardly, he imagines a young beautiful man sitting opposite of the table. "Nice to meet you, Baekhyun. Y-you look... absolutely stunning today."

He smiles wide, gesturing at the window. "Look. The weather is really nice, isn't it? I like it, just how I like your smile."

An awkward silence.

"I also like your eyes and your lips."

Another awkward silence..

"What if I sounded creepy," Chanyeol mutters to himself. He shakes his head and hands the flowers to an imaginary Baekhyun. "Anyway, happy birthday!"

He looks around, realizing that no one is actually looking at him contrary to what he is feeling. He continues, straightening up a bit and breathes.

"Uhm, Baekhyun. I want you to know that," he mutters, eyes darting on the table warily. "I have feelings for you. I'm in love with you."

He grabs a table napkin and squeezes it with his trembling fingers.

"Did you know that the moment I heard you speak on the phone, I already knew that I can't be just friends with you? Because I," he closes his eyes, "I have fallen in love with you."

No one answers.

"Baekhyun, please go out with me."

"Yes, I'll go out with you."

Chanyeol looks up.

"Man, that was a heartfelt one," the barista teases with a laugh, putting Chanyeol's cup of coffee in front of him. The tall male almost smacks his friend if not for the pitcher he is holding.

"Great," Chanyeol hisses. "Way to ruin my moment."

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll go out with you because of your sincerity towards him."

"Really?"

"Of course! Now, good luck," his friend says, clapping him on the shoulder. "Just call me if you need something."

Chanyeol nods. He notices something outside.

"Hey, wait a second."

"What is it?"

He points at the building in front of the coffee shop. There are many people gathered in front of the establishment, making him think that Baekhyun could get lost finding the coffee shop if he doesn't really know the place.

"Do you know what's the commotion in there?"

"Oh. It's the grand opening of the factory owned by a Chinese businessman," the barista says. "The construction has just finished a month ago and I heard they're now accepting job applicants for manpower."

"Oh, so that means more job for unemployed people," Chanyeol says, nodding his head. "I hope this factory would last long as well as this coffee shop."

"I'd want that too," the barista says with a chuckle.

Chanyeol looks at the time. 3:45pm.

"So when is your friend going to come?"

He feels his heart beating faster. He takes a deep breath, looking at the entrance. The chimes clang as the door opens.

"Any minute from now," Chanyeol says with a smile.

*

"Babe! I'm here!"

"The door isn't locked!"

Jongin pads into Baekhyun's spacious living room, wandering his eyes around the unorganized place. He rolls his eyes when he sees Baekhyun tripping to his bunny slippers.

"You barely hang out with us these days," Jongin says as he puts down a box of cake on top of the table. Baekhyun is in haste, walking back and forth past him as he fixes his styled hair.

"I'm sorry, but what did you say!?" he shouts back from his room. He is facing a mirror while he brushes his fringe with his hand. Giving himself a contented smile as he looks at his face, he takes a deep breath.

"This is it," he murmurs nervously, before getting his eyeliner to carefully apply it on top of his right eyelid. Jongin silently barges into his room, shooting him an amused but fishy stare. He leans against the doorframe with his arms crossed against his chest.

"So what's with the big preparation? You're throwing a party?" Jongin asks, an eyebrow raised. Baekhyun looks at him through the mirror while applying eyeliner on his left eyelid.

"I'm not gonna hold a party."

"So you have a date, then?"

"I-I don't have a date," Baekhyun stutters once he is finished. His eyes are more emphasized now that he has eyeliner on. "I'm just..." He clears his throat. "I'm going to meet someone."

"Oh him," Jongin says, remembering the guy Baekhyun is talking about lately. "Have you fucked yet?"

"No!!!" Baekhyun quickly retorts back, blushing hard. He slaps his forehead. "God, Jongin. Please get lost."

"Wait, you're serious about this guy?"

Baekhyun keeps quiet, face still flushed red.

"You're blushing," Jongin comments, giving his best friend a once over. "You must like him a lot."

"I-I don't like him. We're just friends!" Baekhyun argues, and he's flailing his hands in the air. Jongin laughs at the sight, because the last time he saw Baekhyun being flustered like this was when they were still in middle school. He's kind of happy seeing a blooming Baekhyun on his special day.

"Are you going to greet me or what?"

Jongin scoffs. "Fine. Happy 21st birthday, Baekhyun."

"And?"

"I love you."

Baekhyun grins. "I know."

Jongin sticks his tongue out at him.

"Hey. Do I look okay? Isn't my outfit terrible?" Baekhyun asks as he smooths his clammy hands against his black skinny jeans. He is wearing a white plaid shirt, looking fresh and young with a mixture of cute and handsome. Jongin smiles, shaking his head.

"You don't look terrible! You look very beautiful, babe. He will definitely fall in love with you the moment he sees you, right then and there."

"Don't fucking flatter me," Baekhyun says, his cheeks pinking. He glances at the clock. "Oh shit, it's 3:45 pm. I should be there at four."

"So I guess he must be the reason why you're not coming out of your cave anymore huh," Jongin says. "You're always glued on your phone, smiling like an idiot."

"I'm sorry, I have to go," Baekhyun says, grabbing his car keys. He tiptoes, kissing his friend on the cheek quick. "Thank you for the cake and sorry if I can't hang out with you and Kyungsoo today. I promise I'll make it up to the both of you."

"It's all right. I understand," Jongin says with a smile. He flicks Baekhyun's forehead. "Have fun on your date with Chamyeol!"

"His name is Chanyeol!" Baekhyun yells back. "And it's not a date!"

Baekhyun closes the door as he leaves.

Hearing the familiar name, something rings a bell to Jongin he can't figure out what.

"I think I heard that name from Kyungsoo before," he tells himself.

"Oh, well, nevermind." His phone vibrates, so he gets it, reading a short text message from his boyfriend.

_From: Kyungsoo_

_Is Baekhyun coming over for dinner?_

Jongin replies back.

_To: Kyungsoo_

_He has a date with someone. I guess it'll be just the three of us._

_From: Kyungsoo_

_Oh, okay. I'll wait for you then. Grandpa wants to meet you already!_

Jongin smiles.

_To: Kyungsoo_

_Sure. I'll be there in five minutes._

*

As soon as he gets into the parking lot, a brand new black Aston Martin is what greeted the birthday boy. Baekhyun smiles, or rather smirks, as he opens the door of his new car.

"You're now mine, baby," he tells his car as he gets a hold of the stirring wheel. Butterflies start to settle in his tummy when he sets the vehicle on drive, thinking he will meet Chanyeol any minute from now. As he drives with a smile on his face, he remembers their last conversation this morning.

[Baekhyun, let's meet at Demitasse coffee shop, 4 pm.]

Baekhyun knows that coffee shop, it's one of the oldest running establishment in the Seoul. No wonder Chanyeol chose it. He loves old places.

"All right. I'll be there," Baekhyun answered.

Questions had been itching to slip off his tongue ever since they started talking, but he couldn't bring himself to ask them. He bit his lower lip anxiously, listening to his erratic heartbeat inside his chest.

[Baekhyun? You still there?]

"Yeah."

[Uh, I-I have something to tell you...]

 _Fuck, just get this through, damn it,_ Baekhyun murmured to himself as he salvaged his bedsheets. Chanyeol breathed sharply on the phone, indicating he was as nervous as Baekhyun.

"Oh, is it about what you told me last night?"

[Yes. I'll tell you later when we see each other, okay?]

"Just, just fucking tell me now!"

Chanyeol chuckled.

[No.]

And then he hung up.

"What!? No!" Baekhyun yelled, his whole face burning hot. He threw his stuff on the floor, hyperventilating. He tried contacting Chanyeol again but the other male won't pick up, leaving Baekhyun curious and jittery.

_Is this a date?_

_Will you tell me the words I wanted to hear?_

_Do you... Do you like me, too?_

_Too?_

"M-maybe I do... Maybe--no," Baekhyun pauses. "Actually, Jongin is right."

_You must like him a lot._

"I like him. I really like Chanyeol."

Baekhyun breathes, reflecting on himself. Fine, he tells himself. He now truly admits that he likes Chanyeol. He fucking likes him even though he hasn't seen him yet. He thinks about him a lot, gets excited when he calls, feels sad when they need to hang up. He laughs at his jokes which are not even funny, listens to his stories attentively, shares with him his life like he's already a part of it.

No doubt. Baekhyun is smitten by this faceless guy he only heard the voice of. God, he doesn't know what food he even ate, that one morning he woke up, it was only Chanyeol his mind can process, it was only Chanyeol his heart beats for.

"Shit," Baekhyun curses, stepping on the brakes. He didn't notice he's already here, at Demitasse coffee shop. He parks his car nearby, scanning with his eyes the costumers inside the shop. "I'm nervous." He closes his car with a thud after he takes a deep, shaky breath.

Across the street is the newsstand and the red mailbox. Baekhyun smiles, recalling the day he and Chanyeol first met.

Walking to the coffee shop, a group of rallying people gathered in front of a factory building catches Baekhyun's attention. They are longing for high salary increase and just human rights for the laborers. Baekhyun stops for a while as he reads their placards and raised banners in the air. He actually doesn't care about these things, but the look on the woman's face has him listening curiously.

"For sixty years we have suffered! We worked hard but we are never paid right! We worked hard but we are treated like animals!" the woman shouts with intense emotion. "We demand change!"

"We demand change!" the crowd follows. "Salary increase! Human rights! For sixty years we have suffered!"

Baekhyun feels a surge of sympathy clawing in his chest. Here are people who work hard nonstop to earn money, but here he is, living by the wealth of his parents. He doesn't even break a sweat to eat delicious meals everyday, let alone experience hardships these people went through to serve food on their tables. He doesn't know what it feels like to be poor, to be an average person who has a job like Chanyeol.

_Chanyeol._

"Chanyeol, I almost forgot," Baekhyun mutters under his breath as he runs towards the coffee shop in haste. He enters the place at exactly 3:55 pm, the sweet aroma of caffeine welcoming his nose. He chooses a seat near the door so he can easily spot the newcomers.

"Has he arrived yet," he asks himself, looking around carefully. There are only few costumers left today. An old couple. A mother with her teenager son. A young businessman. Three working ladies. A guy with a pet dog. A fat lady. A group of office people. A young man wearing specs nursing his cup of coffee.

Baekhyun's heart starts thumping.

He watches from afar as the man looks around like he is waiting for someone. Baekhyun stands up, slowly, as he walks towards the male seated at the corner of the coffee shop.

Before he can reach the man, Baekhyun stops when the person stands. A pregnant lady approaches him, kissing him on the cheek. Baekhyun backs away, slightly disappointed and embarrassed as he watches the couple walk outside the coffee shop.

"Shit. I thought it was him," he mumbles with a groan, before going back to his seat. He looks at his wristwatch displaying 4:05 pm. "He's late."

Baekhyun waits for another ten minutes, but still, no Chanyeol enters the coffee shop.

"What's your order, Sir?" a barista asks him. Baekhyun opts for a latte as he waits patiently.

"Wait," he calls the barista. The barista turns to look at him.

"Do you know a guy named Park Chanyeol?" he asks, waiting for the barista's reaction. "Have you seen him come already?"

The young barista furrows his eyebrows, making Baekhyun suddenly tense.

"Park Chanyeol, Sir?"

"Yes! Uhm, actually, he told me he's a frequent costumer here in this coffee shop, and he's friends with one of the baristas," Baekhyun says. "So I guess you know him?"

"Just give me a second, Sir."

There are four baristas in the coffee shop including the male to whom Baekhyun is talking to. The barista asks his co-workers about a person named Chanyeol while Baekhyun waits patiently on his table.

Baekhyun's coffee arrives five minutes later, but still, there are no signs of Chanyeol.

"I'm sorry Sir, but we don't have a costumer whose name is Chanyeol," the barista apologizes. "I asked the others and they told me they aren't friends with him, neither am I."

"Oh," Baekhyun says, mildly confused. "Is that so?"

The barista only gives him a tiny smile. "Enjoy your coffee."

"What the fuck was he saying?" Baekhyun says as he eyes the barista, trying to convince himself that Chanyeol is just stuck in a heavy traffic, and the baristas are just people who don't care for about their valued costumers.

"I'm gonna wait for Chanyeol."

Thirty minutes has passed, and Baekhyun starts to feel uneasy.

Forty minutes.

Fifty.

One hour.

Baekhyun tries calling him.

"Where is he?"

_Ring. Ring. Ring._

He holds his breath.

_The number you have dialed does not exist._

"What?" Baekhyun asks, slightly annoyed. He redials the number, getting the same response. He counts the digits, knowing they are complete. Why can't he contact him?

_The number you have dialed does not exist._

"Chanyeol, pick up." He presses call with extra force. He stands, looking outside the window as he feels his heart pound painfully. He doesn't want to think negative thoughts.

_The number you have dialed does not exist._

But what if...

_What if he's not really coming?_

_What if something bad happened to him?_

_Where is he?_

_Why is he not picking up my calls?_

"Pick up the fucking phone," Baekhyun mutters as he grips his phone hard like his knuckles would turn white. The mechanical voice of the woman on the phone makes him sick. "You didn't just fucking ditch me, did you?"

_The number you have dialed does not exist._

Baekhyun wants to cry in anger. They promised to see each other. Chanyeol should meet him, he needs to see him. He said he'll say something, right? Baekhyun must wait. Chanyeol is coming. He's just late.

"Where the hell are you?" Baekhyun goes back to sitting on his table, glaring at his phone. "Did you forget about me?"

Baekhyun will wait. He doesn't care how long as long as he's going to see Chanyeol.

"I'll wait. Just come. Please..."

5:10 pm.

6:30 pm

7:10 pm

8:35 pm

9:01 pm

"Sir," the barista earlier calls as he gently pats Baekhyun on the shoulder. "We're going to close the shop..."

Baekhyun slowly nods as he wipes his tears with the back of his palm. "Okay."

He gets his things and leaves the place.

Chanyeol didn't come to see him.

*

Three days has passed and Chanyeol never called. Baekhyun tried contacting him but to no avail. Chanyeol wouldn't respond. He didn't even get the urge to apologize nor explain himself as to why he didn't come. Nothing at all.

All night long, Baekhyun cried and sulked inside his room. Jongin couldn't coerce him out, so he just let his best friend have the time for himself.

Baekhyun doesn't know what to do anymore. He is fucking angry and painfully hurt. His heart is broken. He is left clueless because he can no longer contact Chanyeol. He needs explanations and answers to his questions, but how is he going to ask him if he can't reach him anymore?

If Baekhyun would just be honest with himself, he would admit he misses Chanyeol so much. He wants to hear his deep voice calling his name. He wants to talk to him, ask him if everything is okay. He wants to tell him he's really sad right now that he's not here with him. He wants to tell him how painful it is that he made him wait for nothing.

But still, he is fucking angry with Chanyeol that he wants to yell and curse at him. He wants to make him realize he doesn't deserve to be liked because he might be just leading him on.

A phone ring pulls Baekhyun out of his reverie. He hastily gets up and grabs his phone sitting on the nightstand.

_Calling... Chanyeol_

+82 00 0000 0000

Baekhyun's eyes widen as he senses his heartbeat speeding up.

It's strange, because Chanyeol's number appears all zeros, and yet it is possible that he can call him. How is that even working? Baekhyun feels goose bumps creeping to his skin, but he ignores it. Instead, he picks up the phone and presses it against his ear.

He takes a deep breath, anger coiling up in his chest once again.

[Baekhyun.]

Chanyeol's voice is cold and stiff.

Baekhyun doesn't know if the fast beating inside his chest is caused by Chanyeol coming back right now, or because of the anger he is feeling towards him. Otherwise, he just keeps his voice to himself, not wanting to make a noise.

[Baekhyun, I know you can hear me. We need to talk.]


	2. Chapter 2

Two weeks has passed and Chanyeol never called. Baekhyun tried contacting him but to no avail. Chanyeol wouldn't respond. He didn't even get the urge to apologize nor explain himself as to why he didn't come. Nothing at all.

All night long, Baekhyun cried and sulked inside his room. Jongin couldn't coerce him out, so he just let his best friend have the time for himself.

Baekhyun doesn't know what to do anymore. He is fucking angry and painfully hurt. His heart is broken. He is left clueless because he can no longer contact Chanyeol. He needs explanations and answers to his questions, but how is he going to ask him if he can't reach him anymore?

If Baekhyun would just be honest with himself, he would admit he misses Chanyeol so much. He wants to hear his deep voice calling his name. He wants to talk to him, ask him if everything is okay. He wants to tell him he's really sad right now that he's not here with him. He wants to tell him how painful it is that he made him wait for nothing.

But still, he is fucking angry with Chanyeol that he wants to yell and curse at him. He wants to make him realize he doesn't deserve to be liked because he might be just leading him on.

A phone ring pulls Baekhyun out of his reverie. He hastily gets up and grabs his phone sitting on the nightstand.

_Calling... Chanyeol_

+82 00 0000 0000

Baekhyun's eyes widen as he senses his heartbeat speeding up.

It's strange, because Chanyeol's number appears all zeros, and yet it is possible that he can call him. How is that even working? Baekhyun feels goose bumps creeping to his skin, but he ignores it. Instead, he picks up the phone and presses it against his ear.

He takes a deep breath, anger coiling up in his chest once again.

[Baekhyun.]

Chanyeol's voice is cold and stiff.

Baekhyun doesn't know if the fast beating inside his chest is caused by Chanyeol coming back right now, or because of the anger he is feeling towards him. Otherwise, he just keeps his voice to himself, not wanting to make a noise.

[Baekhyun, I know you can hear me. We need to talk.]

"So you're still alive," Baekhyun mutters. "You still have the fucking audacity to call after you ditched me on my fucking birthday."

[I didn't ditch you. In fact, I waited for you for five hours at Demitasse. And what? You didn't even show up.]

Baekhyun chuckles bitterly, can't believe what he is hearing. "What?"

[I tried calling you for three straight days, Baekhyun. And you didn't even pick up. What-- what the hell was your problem!?]

"I don't have a problem. If someone were to have it, then that would be you. You know why?" Baekhyun is just restraining himself. He is now burning in rage."Because you're a liar. I asked the baristas at the coffee shop. You're not their costumer, they don't even know you! And listen, you're the one who made me wait for five fucking hours!"

[What are you talking about!? I arrived at the shop thirty minutes before our call time and I didn't see you there! I swear to god, Baekhyun. I waited for you. I was sitting on the table nearest to the door! If you didn't see me, then you didn't come! You made me wait for so long, and I had no choice but to just leave!]

Baekhyun wants to burst out in tears due to anger because this is fucking insane. All the gods knew that he went there. It was Chanyeol who didn't show up, not him.

"I told you I came! I fucking came! I was there at the coffee shop!" Baekhyun shouts, and there are tears streaming down his face. "I waited for you! I tried calling you nonstop! I called you for three goddamned days and you were the one who was not answering my calls! Fuck it, Chanyeol! I don't understand you anymore! I know I am telling the truth and it's up to you whether to believe me or not!"

Chanyeol doesn't say anything on the other line as Baekhyun cries, hiccuping breathlessly. His chest feels so heavy right now that he just wants to release all the pent-up emotions he is currently feeling inside of him.

"I-it was my birthday... And, and the only person I wanted to see was you," Baekhyun mutters in between tight sobs. "Yet you didn't even show up... I waited for you, Chanyeol.. Because I-I wanted to see you so bad..."

He wipes his tears blurring his vision.

"It was the worst birthday of all. Did you know... how it hurts to be left alone... waiting for you? I-I thought something bad had already happened to you... Y-you didn't even call me that night, I was so," he sobs, "worried as hell..."

_[I love you.]_

Baekhyun freezes, his heart in his throat.

[That is what I am supposed to tell you on your birthday. I didn't know what happened why we didn't see each other. But one thing is for sure, that my feelings for you is real. That I am in love with you. I'm so sorry... I'm sorry if I hurt you...]

Tears pool on Baekhyun's eyes once again, hearing those words. His heart constricts inside his chest as he keeps himself steady.

[I know you are angry with me. I was mad and frustrated too, because I didn't even get the chance to meet you nor give my gift to you. God knows how I wanted to see your face, hear your real voice, touch your hand, and hug you. And now, when I heard your voice once again, it's like, I forgot why I got angry in the first place.]

"Idiot," Baekhyun whispers to himself as he sniffs, the apples of his cheeks reddening. "You're a fucking idiot."

[You can curse at me, say bad things to me. It's all right if it would make you feel better. But please, can we forget what happened and start all over again?]

Baekhyun is angry. He is fucking angry because he is supposed to be mad. Chanyeol is just so fucking being unfair. He can't just tell him that, making Baekhyun feel like he's living a teenage dream.

[I don't want to be just friends with you. I want us to be more that that. So please... Please forgive me... And accept my heart.]

He could just ask me to go out with him, Baekhyun thinks to himself as he stifles himself from breaking into a smile. That was fucking cheesy and he hates it.

"I'm still mad at you," Baekhyun says, and the tone of his voice sounds calmer now. "I hate you."

[I want to hate you too for making me fall in love with you, but I really can't. You should take responsibility.]

Baekhyun blushes. "D-don't be assertive. It doesn't suit you."

[I'm just... I'm just being honest with you...]

Baekhyun, in less that a minute, is not angry anymore. If he could only see how wide he is smiling, then he would get crept out of himself.

"Say it's all your fault first."

[I'm sorry, Baekhyun. It's all my fault. I'm really sorry.]

"Good," Baekhyun says, rolling on his bed as he hugs a pillow he named Channie. "Now tell me that you really love me."

[I really love you. Can we be more than friends?]

"What?" Baekhyun says, grinning to himself. "What did you say?"

[I'm not telling those words again not unless you tell them back to me.]

"Fuck you, no way!"

[I know you love me too. Just admit it, Baekhyun--

"I need to hang up!" Baekhyun mutters as he shifts on the bed nervously. "Bye!"

[Wait, you can't just--]

Blushing, Baekhyun presses the end call and breathes.

"Oh my god! That fucking piece of shit!" he curses out loud as he stares at the ceiling. His chest feels lighter now although a little bit confused. There are questions his mind wants to ask but he chooses not to think about them. What's important is he can contact Chanyeol again, and that the other male feels the same way towards him.

_I love you._

"H-he said he loves me," he whispers to his pillow, squeezing it. He sees rainbows and unicorns, and he tells himself, this must be love. He hasn't felt like this to anybody, let alone to any of his exes, so he decides he must be in love with the other male, too.

He grabs his phone, presses Chanyeol's number and waits for the ring.

His heart almost explodes when Chanyeol picks up.

[Hello?]

"I love you too," Baekhyun says, almost out of breath as he stares at the ceiling. "I love you, Chanyeol..."

A silent pause.

[Baekhyun--]

And Baekhyun hangs up.

"Fuck," he says, covering himself with his bedsheets so that he is cocooned inside. He squirms furiously as he shouts, "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!!! That was fucking embarrassing! Ahhh!!!"

*

"You're a bipolar."

Baekhyun blinks up to him as he shoves a spoon of vanilla ice cream inside his mouth. Jongin slits his eyes suspiciously.

"The last time I checked up on you, you were being so emo as fuck and now you're telling me you and that Chanyeol guy are now dating." Jongin raises an eyebrow. "On the phone."

"Yup."

Jongin shoots him an indiferrent look. "But you haven't seen him yet. What if he's a dirty old man?"

"I'll still love him for what he is."

"Shit. You're really smitten."

Baekhyun just grins, licking his spoon as he swallows it whole with his mouth Jongin could already imagine different things.

"Fucking gross! Will you stop that!?"

"Stop what?"

"You're like, giving that spoon a fucking blowjob."

"I'm imagining this as Chanyeol's dick," Baekhyun jokes as he laughs out loud, making Jongin scrunch his face in mortification. He playfully thrusts the spoon covered with vanilla ice cream at his best friend, so Jongin backs away, shaking his head.

"So have you tried SOP yet?" Jongin asks.

Baekhyun flushes a deep shade of crimson. "Almost, I guess?"

Jongin laughs obnoxiously. "So you finally made use of your dirty talking skills?"

"I swear to god that was fucking embarrassing," Baekhyun mutters as he buries his face into his palms. "It was so fucking awkward when I asked him what he was wearing."

"So what did he tell you?"

"He told me he was wearing an apron."

"Oh. And then?"

"And he couldn't touch himself because he was cooking pasta for his Mom."

"Seriously!?" Jongin says as he contains his laughter. "Oh my god!"

"We're taking things slow, okay?" Baekhyun defends, pouting. "Besides, I already told myself Chanyeol would be my last boyfriend. We're destined to each other so that only means he's the right one for me. Soon, we're gonna get married and have plenty of sex in our own house as we grow old together. Forever."

Jongin can practically see red hearts on Baekhyun's eyes, so no matter how much he wants to ruin his best friend's mood, he just keeps his thoughts to himself. A cheesy Baekhyun is a cute Baekhyun, and he likes this side of him more than before.

"You really love him, don't you?"

Without any hesitation, Baekyun nods as he stares at nothing in particular.

"I love him so much. I haven't felt this way before with anyone else. Only with Chanyeol," he says, and Jongin knows he is telling the truth.

Jongin admits he is slightly worried about this set up, but he is genuinely happy for his best friend. At least he has found a person he loves whom in return, loves him back.

"I wish you could meet him finally," Jongin says. "So that I could meet this Chanyeol guy, too. I want to know what kind of guy my babe has replaced me with."

Baekhyun laughs at that.

"Actually, we're going to have our first date this Saturday. We'll make sure that we'll definitely see each other," Baekhyun says firmly. "We planned this carefully so I am positive we'll catch each other this time around."

Jongin chuckles, ruffling Baekhyun's hair. Baekhyun glares at him like a furious puppy.

"Wow, I can really see the fire of determination in your eyes."

"Shut up," Baekhyun blurts back. "Anyways, how was your dinner date with Kyungsoo? Did you meet his parents?"

"Nope. They were not home that time so I only met his grandpa," Jongin says, shrugging. "Kyungsoo's taking care of him and he seems to be still smart despite of his age. But it's weird, though."

"Why?"

"Because he was like, staring at me the whole time. I mean, like, he wanted to ask something but he couldn't? I don't know, it's just maybe I don't really understand old people," Jongin says as he shrugs. "Or maybe it's just me."

"I didn't know Kyungsoo has a grandpa," Baekhyun says nonchalantly. He startles when his phone on top of the table suddenly rings, seeing Chanyeol's name flashing on the screen.

A smile graces up his lips as he quickly picks up, standing while he puts his ice cream back into the fridge. Chanyeol told him last night he's going to call him once he arrived at his part-time job.

[Good morning! Have you eaten breakfast yet?]

"I only ate ice cream. How about you?" Baekhyun asks with a sheepish smile on his face. He plays with his fingers, drawing invisible hearts on the wall.

[You should eat a rice meal for breakfast, Baekhyun. Not ice cream. Your stomach will ache if you do that.]

Baekhyun rolls his eyes, but he is smiling anyway. "But you know I can't cook!"

[Wait until we get married. I'll cook for you anytime you want.]

Jongin just watches as Baekhyun walks away with a phone against his ear. He stares silently, thinking if he just saw it wrongly.

"His phone didn't even ring," he mutters as he recalls what happened earlier. He saw Baekhyun grabbing the phone out of the blue. He is sure the phone's screen was black when Baekhyun put it against his ear.

"I'm just imagining things," Jongin murmurs to himself as he shakes his head.

After an hour, Jongin bids goodbye to Baekhyun, saying he will go home with Kyungsoo to his hometown because it's the start of summer break after all. Baekhyun says he's just going to stay in Seoul to clean his condo, and since he's too lazy to go out and drive.

Once Baekhyun is finished tidying up his condo, he feels like doing household chores today while he talks with Chanyeol on the phone on loudspeaker mode. It's more fun that way.

[Anyways, I dreamt about you last night. Do you want to know what happened?]

Baekhyun is washing the dishes as he says, "Was it a wet dream or what?"

[Baekhyun, you know I respect you a lot. I don't dream that kind of stuff.]

Baekhyun snickers. "Not even once?" He clears his throat, saying out in his most seductive voice, "You know, spread out, just only for you?"

[N-no! I'm at work right now. Stop that!]

"I'm just kidding," Baekhyun says as he takes off his rubber gloves. "So what happened on your dream?"

[Okay. Last night, I clearly saw you in my dream. I saw your face in detail, how pretty your hazel brown eyes are, how pink your lips are, how bright your smile is. I also heard your voice, and it was so vivid like it was very real! I even touched you, and, and held your hand for so long... I was so happy that time I didn't want to wake up.]

It takes two seconds before Baekhyun finds his voice again. "Y-you must've been thinking about me lately."

[Yes, I think about you a lot.]

"Really?"

[Mm-hm. It's magic, though! I already knew how you look like. It's like, I've seen you so many times, but actually, I've only seen you in my dreams.]

Baekhyun smiles. "That... that was nice..."

A pause.

[Hey, are you crying?]

Baekhyun touches his face, and yes, his cheeks are soaked with tears. He doesn't know why the hell he is crying, and why the hell Chanyeol knows he is crying. Smiling, he just wipes his tears with his hand and sits down for a second.

[Your voice is shaking. Are you all right?]

"I-I'm fine. I'm just... I'm just sad, is all."

Chanyeol sighs.

[Why? Is it because of my dream?]

Baekhyun breathes.

"I want to be with you, Chanyeol," he says in a melancholic voice. "I want to see you, hug you and, feel you. Right here with me."

[Baekhyun...]

"This-- this thing we have right now isn't enough for me. I want more," Baekhyun mutters. "I want to hold your hand, too. I want to hear your heartbeat, kiss your lips--"

[And make love to me?]

"Yes," Baekhyun says. "We-- we can do that, right?"

[Of course! What makes you think we can't?]

Baekhyun doesn't know why, but there's an unsettling feeling inside his chest that keeps on disturbing him ever since his birthday, that everytime he feels happy, something reminds him that he shoudn't be. He's scared of something he doesn't know. It's as if everything seems to be wrong. There are times he thinks to himself if this is actually happening. He still has questions bothering him, but he doesn't dare to ask.

[Remember, we have a date this Saturday! And when you see me, you can kiss me all you want.]

"All right." Baekhyun says hopefully. "But what if I won't see you?"

[That's impossible. We're both living in South Korea, and besides, we have laid out our plan.]

"Our plan where you're going to call from a telephone booth, since you don't own a smart phone," Baekhyun says slowly. "Wait, why don't you have one yet?"

[Uhm. I don't know where to buy that thing you call smart phone?]

Baekhyun pouts. "Fine. I'm gonna buy you one at the mall."

[Thank you! You're a sweet boyfriend.]

Baekhyun tries not to blush but fails anyway. He just clears his throat.

"Okay, so while you're calling from the telephone booth, I'm gonna go to you, knock on the door, and you're gonna turn around," Baekhyun narrates excitedly while picturing out things inside his head, "And you will see me outside, smiling at you."

[That's romantic. Just like a scene on a movie.]

"You will come out from the telephone booth while looking at me. And then next," Baekhyun trails off, and he bites his lower lip, "you're gonna touch my face and look into my eyes."

[Yes. I'm going to lift you up the ground, spin you around, hug you, and kiss you. And I will never let you go.]

"Yeah, that's right," Baekhyun agrees, smiling ear to ear, "And we're gonna go to my car, we're gonna close the door, and head to a secluded parking lot--"

[Yes! Of course, and we're going on a drive to watch the beautiful sunset--]

"And you're gonna fuck me hard on my car--"

[What? NO!]

Baekhyun frowns, very disappointed. "What? Why!?"

[That's not appropriate! We're not married yet!]

"Seriously?" Baekhyun snorts and laughs a little. "You're really old-fashion, aren't you? I mean, everybody nowadays pratically have sex before they get married."

[Well, if you want to date me, then put up with my traditions and beliefs. If not, go find someone else who can be with you in bed.]

There is a deafening silence in the air before Baekhyun speaks up.

"Hey. I'm sorry, okay?" Baekhyun says, sensing he probably hurt Chanyeol's feelings, "Are you mad at me?"

[. . . .]

"Chanyeol..."

[. . . . . . . .]

"Hey, baby..."

[Still mad.]

"Fine... I'm sorry, okay. I didn't mean it like that. I didn't date you just for sex, you know," Baekhyun gently says, "I'm just being honest with how I feel. And I really want you to have me."

Chanyeol sighs.

[I know, I want to have you, too.]

"I will give everything I have for you, even if that means my heart, my soul, and my body. I'm willing to give all to you. I just wanna let you know that..."

[I understand you. I respect you a lot but I won't have sex with you until we're married. Sex is a sacred thing that I want to give you when our hearts become one. I won't risk it just for short-lived pleasure.]

Baekhyun backs away from the phone, buries his face on a throw pillow, screams on it while shaking like a teenage girl because of overflowing feels. Chanyeol is such a nice family guy, gentleman, romantic weirdo. He will never find a man like this, because he's a rare specie. He thinks of marriage that serious, and it makes Baekhyun think the same, too.

"Look. I've never given myself to anybody yet," Baekhyun says shyly. "I'm still an innocent fucking virgin! It doesn't look like it but I really am! So don't you get mad anymore, because I am reserved only just for you..."

Chanyeol gasps.

[R-really?]

"Fuck yeah! You think I'm kidding?"

[I thought, I thought you're--]

"No, I haven't had sex with anybody yet. If you don't believe me, you should go ask Jongin."

[All right, when I meet him, I'm going to ask him. It would make me feel better.]

Baekhyun can already imagine that cute frown on Chanyeol's lips right now.

"Chanyeol, you're so cute..."

[Stop it, I'm not cute.]

"Seriously, you will like him. Jongin I mean," Baekhyun says, smiling ear-to-ear, "He's my bestest friend. We share the same everything and anything."

[So... you like him more than me?]

Baekhyun chuckles. "Of course not. You're my future husband. That's not comparable."

[Okay, you're already forgiven.]

Baekhyun hangs up after several hours (six hours) of their nonsenese-but-sweet conversation. It's just now that he realizes he's alone again.

"Well, I guess it's just me again."

He texts Jongin, asking if he can still join him and Kyungsoo since he feels so alone.

Jongin beeps him back quick.

_From: Jongin_  
_My poor Baekhyun. You miss me already?_

_To Jongin:_  
_Shut up. I just wanna use my brand new car, okay?_

_From Jongin:_  
_All right. I'll give you the address._

_To: Jongin_  
_Where is Kyungsoo's hometown exactly?_

_From: Jongin_  
_655-341 Ilsan-dong, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do. Can you come over? We're gonna wait for you._

"What?" Baekhyun tells himself, "That's like, a four-hour drive from Seoul!"

_To: Jongin_  
_That's too far. I'm not gonna take the subway._

_From Jongin:_  
_Please? Just for me?_

_To Jongin:_  
_No. Too far!_

_From Jongin:_  
_I'm gonna p_ _lay LOL with you 24/7._

"Fine," Baekhyun says, and he grabs his backpack and car keys, leaving his condo with a cute frown on his face.

*

When Baekhyun arrives in Gyeonggi-do, he sees a big vintage house, probably much older than him. He stops the engine of his car and parks beside the road. Grabbing his backpack, he closes the door of his car with a thud and heads towards the front of the old house.

"I didn't know Kyungsoo lives in this kind of house," he mutters, before pressing the doorbell nonchalantly.

 _Ding-dong. Ding-dong_.

Baekhyun patiently waits for a couple of minutes for the intercom to maybe answer him, or just Kyungsoo to come out to greet him, but he sees nor hears nothing. Realizing the gate is slightly opened, he just innocently goes inside the house.

He steps on the grassy lawn, wandering his eyes around the impossibly clean place. It seems that this house is properly taken care of despite of its outlandish aura.

The problem is, he couldn't find which door is the door to the entrance. Is it the right door or the left? Or the center? Or maybe the back door? He should have texted Jongin for this.

"Is there... Anybody home?" Baekhyun asks, or rather whispers. "Kim Jongin? Do Kyungsoo?"

Something suddenly moves behind the bushes on his left, making him flinch. His heart skips a beat without any particular reason.

"This is weird," he tells himself, willing away the nervousness in his heart. "Who's there?"

Out of curiosity, Baekhyun walks closer, his steps are soft and cautious, as he peers over the big bush enough to get a glimpse of _someone_ standing behind it. He can see the man's back facing him, his back that is slouched and bended lowly due to old age. He is wearing a straw hat, a faded shirt and a pair of washed-out jeans, while he holds a water spray to carefully tend his roses.

"He must be the gardener," Baekhyun tells himself as he watches the tall aged man singing to his little roses. "Maybe I should ask him."

Baekhyun clears his throat. "Uhm, excuse me--"

He is about to reveal himself when the phone on his pocket vibrates out of the blue. Getting his phone, he sees a text from Jongin, telling him that they have already seen him, and that he should go back before he gets lost.

"Damn, why didn't he tell me sooner," Baekhyun says, turning his heel around. He spots a smiling Jongin and Kyungsoo, waving at him at the front of the main door. Rolling his eyes, he heads towards them and forgets about the gardener.

"Hey, guys! I almost got lost!"

Just as soon as Baekhyun walks away, the old man turns his head around and removes his straw hat, watching the young man's disappearing back.

Turning away slowly, he returns to spraying his beautiful roses, enduring the throbbing pain in his chest, as well as the dull ache in his eyes.

*

"Good thing you came! Thought you wouldn't come."

"Just because you asked my nicely," Baekhyun says, "And bribed me with LOL."

"Aww. So cute," Jongin coos, and Kyungsoo laughs, "You're really my best friend."

"Shut up, I'm not staying that long, okay. I already miss my king-sized bed."

Jongin sits back and crosses his arms as he laughs. Kyungsoo places a bowl of potato chips on the table in front of Baekhyun, and without waiting for a second, Baekhyun shoves his hand inside it to get a fistful of chips to eat.

"This is supposed to be a study session Baekhyun," Kyungsoo says, eyeing Baekhyun behind the thick Physics book he is reading, "Did you at least bring your notes?"

"No," Baekhyun answers while champing the chips inside his messy mouth. His eyes and hands are long glued on his phone while playing Mini Militia, as he shamelessly lies on the couch like a lazy hog. "It's summer break, why would I bring them?"

"He didn't even have any notes to begin with," Jongin says, flipping the page of Kyungsoo's notebook boredly. Kyungsoo likes to study anytime he wants. "Hmm. I wonder how he's passing the exams."

"Because I'm smart, that's why."

"Kyungsoo's smarter than you, though."

Jongin turns to Kyungsoo by his side, who has been particularly silent for a while. He is just staring at Baekhyun intently, whose face is scruched in obvious frustration as he plays his game.

"What's the matter?" Jongin asks, facing Kyungsoo. "Is there something wrong?"

"Huh?" Kyungsoo blinks, realizing Jongin was talking to him. "Oh, nothing. I just... I just thought of someone."

"Someone? Don't tell me you've already replaced me?" Jongin jokes.

"No," Kyungsoo responds. "Someone familiar? Who looks like Baekhyun, I guess."

"Yeah? And who's that?"

Kyungsoo furrows his eyebrows as he ponders. He can't really recall who he was taking about, but he is sure that someone's face all of a sudden flashed in his memory when he looked at Baekhyun earlier. Is it an old friend or classmate perhaps?

Or someone... _important_?

"Nevermind that," Kyungsoo just says, disgregarding his thoughts.

"Okay."

Both males startle when they see Baekhyun suddenly shooting up on the couch, looking surprised and very happy. He quickly answers his phone, and mutters _excuse me I have to take this call_ , before walking away with a wide grin across his face.

"Hello? Oh, hey, I'm at a friend's house..."

"That's how he looks like when he's so much in love," Jongin says as he lightly chuckles. "He's so cute, right?"

"Is that his boyfriend?" Kyungsoo asks, looking at Baekhyun whose hands are animatedly gesturing in the air while he talks with Chanyeol.

"Yeah."

"Can we meet him?"

"I wish to meet him too, you know. But they haven't seen each other in person yet... Too bad."

"Really? Why?"

Jongin shrugs amusedly. "I don't know? Maybe it's not the right time for them to meet yet."

"Isn't that kind of sad?" Kyungsoo comments as he frowns a little. "Loving someone you can't see? You can't meet?"

"Baekhyun, no matter how much he denies it, must be having a hard time on his own... But it doesn't show on his face though," Jongin says, before releasing a heavy sigh. "I've seen him... He has changed a lot. He really loves that person."

"That person... What's his name?"

"His name?" Jongin says. "His name is Chany--"

"JONGIN!!!" Baekhyun shouts, and there are tears on the corners of his eyes as he stumbles on his knees. He starts to cry and shake, Chanyeol's voice ringing in his ears painfully.

Both of his friends stand in shock. Jongin goes to him and braces him up.

"W-what happened?"

"H-he... He's in the hospital right now," Baekhyun stutters almost out of breath, as he clutches Jongin's shirt weakly, "h-he got into an accident... W-we should go back... I want to... I want to see him!"

"Baekhyun, it's all right. Don't cry, just tell me what exactly happened."

"I want to see him right now... I'm just... I'm so worried, I-I can't..."

"Jongin, you better go," Kyungsoo says in concern, "Baekhyun needs you."

Jongin nods, and scoops a crying Baekhyun in his arms.

"I'll call you later," Jongin tells Kyungsoo, before rushing to the door.

Kyungsoo opens it for them quickly, praying everything will be all right with Baekhyun. He sends them a worried glance as he watches Baekhyun's car driving away.

"Your... friends... left already?"

Kyungsoo abruptly runs towards his grandfather to help him climb up the stairs with his walking cane. He holds him by the arm carefully, for the old man not to lose his balance.

"Yeah," Kyungsoo says, "Something came up with Baekhyun. I hope he'll be okay..."

His grandfather suddenly squeezes his arm tightly, so Kyungsoo pauses for a second. He looks at the older in the eyes.

"Y-your friend.... What's... what's his name?"

"Baekhyun," Kyungsoo replies, "Byun Baekhyun."

*

"Jongin, faster! Drive faster!!!"

"Baekhyun, calm down for a bit," Jongin tells his friend while he drives, and he is equally panicked as Baekhyun right now. "Can you please tell me what exactly happened?"

Baekhyun covered his face with both hands as he sobs. "Ch-chanyeol, he told me he's in the hospital... Because... because he--"

"He what?"

"H-he fell from a tree--"

Jongin turns to look at Baekhyun for a whole second, not knowing whether to ask him if this is some kind of a practical joke, or just let him talk further.

"H-he broke his arm when he fell off a branch when he was trying to help his cat stuck on a tree," Baekhyun explains in between cries, "He must be in so much pain right now! I-I need to see him! He just fractured his arm, oh my god!"

"I'm honestly worried about you," Jongin says in relief, "I thought something serious has happened to him already..."

"This is fucking serious, okay!?" Baehyun argues, "What if he broke his skull and totally forgot about me!?"

"You just told me he broke his arm, Baekhyun. He'll be fine in a few days time."

"But," Baekhyun sniffs, rubbing his eyes in circles, "I still want to see him so bad and check if he's really okay. Drive me to the hospital."

"Fine, if that's what you want, babe," Jongin says in resignation. "Just don't cry anymore."

With trembling fingers, Baekhyun dials Chanyeol's number and waits for him to pick up. He almost scrambles on his seat when he hears his boyfriend's voice.

"Chanyeol!"

[Hello, Baekhyun?]

"I'm heading to the hospital right now. Just wait for me, okay? Tell me what's the hospital--"

[Baekhyun, thank you for worrying about me. I just got my arm surgery and heading out home now. You don't have to come.]

Baekhyun's lips fall into a frown. "But... But I want to see you."

[I don't want you to see me like this. I really look... terrible right now because of my wounds.]

Baekhyun's heart suddenly clenches.

"Did it... Did it hurt so bad?"

Chanyeol laughs.

[Nope. When I thought about you, it didn't hurt a single bit. I'm fine, it's just a fracture, nothing to worry about. Besides, I have an arm cast so it will heal faster.]

"But you're gonna have trouble eating and doing stuff because of the cast," Baekhyun says in pure concern as he feels his heart clench, "I wish I was there to take care of you, though."

[Hearing your voice is more than enough. It feels like I'm a hundred percent healed already... Thank you, for being there for me.]

Baekhyun blushes, smiling like a complete idiot listening to Chanyeol's warm words. Jongin smiles as well to himself, shaking his head.

[Do not worry about me, okay? I'm really all right.]

"How's your cat? Is she all right?"

[Yeah, Elizabeth managed to get down by herself when she saw me fell on the ground. That cat! ]

Chanyeol chuckles, but Baekhyun is still worried as hell.

"Should we cancel our date this Saturday?" Baekhyun suggests, "I think you still need to rest. I don't like it if you force youself just to meet me."

[No. Let's meet on Saturday as planned. I'm okay, I can handle this. Just like you said, I am an Ironman!]

"Idiot," Baekhyun mumbles under his breath, and Chanyeol rewards him with another hearty laugh.

[See you on Saturday?]

"Okay," Baekhyun answers, "See you on Saturday."

[I love you.]

"I," Baekhyun bites his lower lip, "I love you, too."

Chanyeol hangs up, and Baekhyun loudly squeals, banging his head against the window of the car like crazy.

"Aaaahhhhh!!! That was embarrassing!!!"

"So," Jongin clears his throat, "Are we going home now?"

"Yeah," Baekhyun dreamily says, "Take me home."

Jongin shoots him a weird but amused look, before swerving the car back to Baekhyun's condo.

*

 _Saturday. 8:00 AM_.

Baekhyun arrives at their meeting place two hours before their call time. Yes, two hours early, because he is too excited to see Chanyeol, and he has nothing much to do in his condo anyway.

He takes his precious time strolling around Seoul Forest (a park in Seongdong-gu). He smiles, walking slowly with people as he relishes the fresh air breeze and beautiful Seoul sunshine. He happily takes pictures of everything that catches his attention, even that crying kid who dropped his ice cream on the ground.

This is why he really loves summer. He wishes everyday would be like this-- the place is nice, the weather is nice, everything feels so nice.

Baekhyun looks at his watch, it's still two hours to wait. He should go to the mall first, buy Chanyeol an iPhone 7 Plus so they will match. He should also shop new clothes and shoes for Chanyeol, or maybe pick cool stuff for Chanyeol's cat. Or watch some movies when he gets bored after he eats in a cozy samgyeopsal restaurant.

"All right. I should have a date with myself then," Baekhyun mutters to himself with a chuckle, "Before I forget how it is to be single. Haha."

He skips happily, carrying his Black Card inside his pocket and heading to a mall a walking distance away.

/

_Friday. 10PM._

"Chanyeol, where are you going?" Yoora, Chanyeol's older sister asks worriedly. "Don't tell me you're leaving in this kind of situation?"

"He's waiting for me," Chanyeol says. He puts on his thick scarf with one hand, careful not to nudge his cast on his other arm. "I should go."

"I just want to remind you that we're not living in Seoul anymore. It's not just a drive away."

"I know, but I have to go. "

"But listen to me," Yoora says, and she's walking towards his brother to stop him from wearing his winter coat. "Didn't you hear the weather forecast today?"

Chanyeol pauses, and warily looks at his sister for a while before turning his eyes to the foggy window of their house.

The snowstorm is not over yet.

"Noona."

"You have an injury, there's a blizzard out there. It's better for you to just stay home for the meantime."

"You don't understand," Chanyeol says in an almost pleading voice. "He's been waiting for me. I promised to meet him no matter what."

"Don't be so stubborn and just listen to me," Yoora says firmly. "You barely know this person. Why are you're risking your life for him?"

"Because I love this person," Chanyeol answers, elbowing off his sister as he turns his back. "You can't stop me. I'm going to Seoul."

Chanyeol is wearing his boots when Yoora calls him.

"Chanyeol."

"What?"

"I'm going to come with you," Yoora says, and she's getting her car keys as Chanyeol just watches, "Just because I don't trust you."

Chanyeol smiles. "Thank you."

Throughout an almost five-hour drive from Ilsan to Seoul, Chanyeol thanks the gods that went by his side, keeping him and his sister safe and sound. They arrived at dawn in Seoul after a quite long travel to say the least, the snowstorm stopping in favor of them.

They stayed in a cheap hotel in Seongdong-gu, where Baekhyun said his current residance was. There is practically thin snow there compared to Ilsan, and it's a good thing because Chanyeol doesn't want his boots to have snow on it while he's having a date with Baekhyun. Him being happy is an understatement, now that he is breathing the same air as his lover.

All prepared and dressed nicely, Chanyeol arrives at Seoul Forest ten minutes before their meet-up. He quickly goes inside the telephone booth, fingers trembling in the cold as he dials Baekhyun's number.

_Ring. Ring. Ring._

While waiting, his heart hammers inside his chest because of excitement and nervousness combined. He takes a deep shaky breath, hearing the other male pick up on the other line.

[Hey! Chanyeol! I've been waiting for your call since this morning!]

Hearing Baekhyun's bright as usual voice makes Chanyeol's lips tug into a smile.

"Where are you?"

[I'm at the mall right now, how about you?]

"I just got here," Chanyeol mutters with a smile, "Baekhyun, I'm already in Seoul right now."

A moment of silence, before a groggy noise bursts out from the speakers, indicating Baekhyun is moving around.

[W-what?]

"I said I'm here."

[Chan-- Oh my god, Chanyeol! I'm fucking-- oh my god! where are you!?]

"I'm here at our meeting place. I'm calling you inside a telephone booth here at Seoul Forest, exactly 9:55 AM," Chanyeol says on the phone, "Let's see each other in five minutes."

[O-okay. I'm shaking, I-I can't walk properly...]

"You're almost out of breath."

[That's because I want to meet you already! I'm heading there right now. God, I'm literally shaking!]

Chanyeol laughs at that. "Are you running?"

[Yes! God-fucking-damnit!]

"I'm not going to hang up until you get here," Chanyeol says, and he can hear more trails of curses coming out from Baekhyun's mouth as he pants.

"I'm right here waiting for you."

[Hang in there, Chanyeol! I'm already at the entrance!]

/

Hands on his knees, Baekhyun stops running for a while to catch for his breath. There are beads of sweat dripping down his temples as direct sunrays hit him. He doesn't care if it's strikingly hot though, as long as he's going to meet Chanyeol. Finally.

Looking around the place, he spots the bench where he was sitting at earlier, and the same kid, now with his new ice cream.

Opposite to that is the old telephone booth made of transparent glass, its railings covered in red paint.

"I'm here," Baekhyun quietly says. "Chanyeol, I'm here."

Baekhyun feels like his heart has just stopped beating.

"Chanyeol?"

Because he sees no one inside.

"Come on, don't hide now. I said I'm here."

[Really? I can't see you. Where are you?]

With a phone against his ear, Baekhyun walks closer to the telephone booth in confusion, his heartbeat still raging as he repeatedly looks around him.

He laughs nervously.

"Chanyeol, I said come out. Where are you hiding?"

[That's not a good joke, Baekhyun. I'm here inside the telephone booth. I don't see you anywhere, though.]

Baekhyun stops, right outside the empty telephone booth, and places his hand against the surface of the transparent glass. He takes a deep breath, calming himself down for a little while.

[Baekhyun, I said I'm here. You better show up now.]

Baekhyun can't see anyone inside.

There's no person inside, and he can tell that Chanyeol is not lying either. How is this even possible? Is Chanyeol a ghost?

That's impossible.

"Chanyeol... I'm... right here outside the telephone booth... I'm... How... I don't understand..."

[Why? What's the matter?]

Baekhyun squeezes his eyes shut, and leans his forehead on the glass.

"There is no one inside the telephone booth."

A pause.

"I can't see you."

[Wha-what are you talking about?]

"Chanyeol, I can't see you!" Baekhyun yells and he is now starting to cry, "It is broad daylight and the sun is fucking bright! But why can't I see you!?"

[W-what?]

"Are you sure you really came here!?"

[I'm sure, I even got through a snowstorm just to come here in Seoul. There is no way I'm not here because I am here, Baekhyun. If you could only see me. I'm standing right here inside the booth, waiting for you.]

Chanyeol is definitely telling the truth.

Baekhyun has no choice but to cry, right then and there. Tears blur his vision as he feels his weak knees finally give in. His heart hurts, like there are knives piercing through his veins. He can taste his tears, and they are salty.

He wants to get numb. But he can't.

[Baekhyun... It's getting really chilly right now... Maybe the snowstorm is coming back...]

"S-snowstorm..."

[Yes, it's the middle of winter, remember?]

He can't meet Chanyeol.

He will never meet Chanyeol.

[Baekhyun?]

It is slowly coming down onto him right now. Why they can't meet, why they didn't see each other in the coffee shop, why they are different in so many ways, why does it feel something is wrong from the very beginning.

It is all...

Crushing down onto him now.

[Baekhyun, answer me please. Are you still there!?]

He now understands why Chanyeol...

Why Chanyeol feels so far away.

Why Chanyeol feels so distant.

_It's because..._

[Baekhyun, please talk to me... What's happening?]

It's because they are living in different timelines.

"I-if it's winter..." Baekhyun says, and he's trying his best for Chanyeol not to notice that he's crying, that he's deeply hurting inside.

"Can you tell me exactly... what date is it today...?"

[Of course, it's January 23, 1957. Baekhyun, why are you asking this right now?]

 _Wrong_.

_Chanyeol must be lying._

[Baekhyun, I don't understand--]

"You're... you're lying, right?"

[No, I'm not. What makes you say that?]

Silence.

[Baekhyun, I'm scared. Please tell me what's going on...]

"Chanyeol, we can't meet each other," Baekhyun mutters, and he's gripping his phone like his knuckles would turn white, "It's June 23, 2017 right now. Not January 23, 1957... It's.... It's 2017...."

[What?]

Baekhyun buries his face against his knees as he cries breathlessly. Everything hurts right now, he is very confused, and he knows he is being irrational with his conclusions. But that is the only reason that he could think of at the moment that both him and Chanyeol are living in a diferrent time.

Impossible may it sounds, but that is the truth.

The naked truth.

[Baekhyun, please tell me... Th-this is not real...]

"Chanyeol," Baekhyun whispers, "We are sixty years apart."

[I don't believe you... I don't... This is not possible!]

"Don't you still understand!?" Baekhyun blurts out loud as he sobs painfully, "Y-you're in the past! I'm living at the present, which is your future! No matter how hard we try.... We can't... We can never! We will never meet each other!"

_T_ _ssh.... Tsssh... Tsssh..._

"That's why we didn't see each other on my birthday! It's because you.... you're living in the past, which is sixty years from now... and I'm living in the present time! There's no possible way we can meet if time is the one holding us apart...!]

[B-baekhyun... I can't, I can't hear you properly...! I don't understand! Please talk to me!]

There are inaudible noises on the other line, and it sounds like a broken tape that makes Baekhyun suddenly frightened. He stands up and braces himself, panicking.

"Ch-chanyeol, w-what's happening!? Tell me what's happening!"

[I... Baek... Please... Don't... Not...!]

Baekhyun hears more chopped and intelligible sounds.

"Chanyeol!"

[B-baekhyun.... I can't.... hear you... The reception here.... is quite unstable...]

_Tssh.... Tsssh... Tsssh..._

"Chanyeol! What's happening!" Baekhyun screams on top of his lungs as he hears Chanyeol's gibbering voice.

"Chanyeol, don't hang up, okay! Please, do not hang up!"

 _T_ _ssh.... Tsssh... Tsssh.._.

[If there's no.... I will wait.... And please.... Do not.... Forget... Even if it takes me forever.... Love.... for you.... Time.... Fast.... Until I'm... Meet.... In the future....]

 _T_ _ssh.... Tsssh... Tsssh.._.

"Chanyeol, don't say that! Please, come back! Don't! Don't leave me!"

[I.... love you.]

And the line goes dead.

"CHANYEOL!!!!!!!"

He hears nothing.

"Chanyeol," Baekhyun mutters as he cries in his hands, his heart breaking into pieces at the thought of Chanyeol disappearing. He shakily dials Chanyeol's number, holds his phone up, and brings it close to his ear.

_Ring. Ring. Ring._

"Chanyeol... No.... Please.... Don't leave me..."

_The number you have dialed does not exist._

Baekhyun lets go of his phone, causing it to fall on the ground and break into pieces just like his shattered heart.

_The number you have dialed----_

Chanyeol is not coming back.

"....Chanyeol."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last part. Congrats for reaching this far~

"Do you think they've seen each other by now?"

"Yeah, I guess so..."

"They're probably eating dinner right now."

Silence.

"Jongin."

"Hmm?"

Kyungsoo stands up from the couch to where he was sitting at, and quietly walks beside his boyfriend who has been standing for a while now in front of the window. Its white curtains are slightly drawn back to allow the afternoon breeze blow inside his apartment.

It's surprisingly shady outside, as if the sun who was shining bright earlier decided to hide in shame. The clouds are dark, signaling it's going to rain any minute soon.

Kyungsoo watches Jongin momentarily, waiting for him to maybe say something, but the latter is just staring at nothing in particular. He keeps on biting his lower lip and tapping his foot in an anxious manner. Reaching for the other male's hand, Kyungsoo gently squeezes it between his fingers so that Jongin would feel he is not alone.

"He's a grown-up," Kyungsoo says in almost whisper, "I'm sure he can pull it off by his own. Besides, his boyfriend is there to take care of him."

"But what if he's not there?"

"What do you mean?"

Jongin turns to look at him with worried eyes.

"I don't know, Kyungsoo. I'm just," Jongin sighs, and he's shaking his head, "I have a bad feeling about this. What if that asshole ditched Baekhyun again?"

Kyungsoo frowns.

"Don't you think you're just being too overprotective?"

"I guess I am, I'm sorry." Jongin mutters, "I just can't help worrying about Baekhyun. He's like my concubine, you know. My second wife."

Kyungsoo chuckles at that.

"But still, I'm your legal wife."

Jongin turns to face him, studying Kyungsoo's face for a second. He laughs, before cupping it inside his warm hands. He slowly takes off Kyungsoo's specs, puts it down, and pulls him in for a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Hey, what was that for..."

"Thank you for being so understanding," Jongin says while staring right into his lover's doe eyes, "You know I'm his only family here in Seoul."

"Yeah, so you're doing the job of being his Mom, Dad, babysitter, and fake husband."

"I'm gonna tell him you said that," Jongin jokingly says. "Anyways, you told me last night your grandpa was taken to the hospital. Is he okay now?"

Kyungsoo's expression suddenly changes. Hearing about it makes his face fall as if he's about to break down again like yesterday. Jongin notices that, so he holds Kyungsoo and hugs him comfortingly.

"Hey baby, is everything okay?"

Kyungsoo buries his face into Jongin's chest as he shakes his head.

"No..."

"What happened?"

"Jongin," Kyungsoo mutters, "My grandpa is sick."

"How bad is it?"

"He is diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy."

"I-I'm sorry to hear that, Kyungsoo..."

Kyungsoo wipes his tears that are starting to fall.

"The symptoms are showing. Now he can't stand on his own.. He can no longer walk... The muscles on his lower body are already weak..."

Jongin hugs Kyungsoo tighter.

"W-what's going to happen to him?"

"Soon... He's going to have trouble moving and speaking... It would be hard for him to eat and digest, let alone breathe... I'm afraid... That someday, he's going to leave me already."

"Don't say that. He's not gonna leave you," Jongin says, "He'll get treatment, right?"

Kyungsoo shakes his head.

"There's no cure for it."

Jongin decides not to comment after that. He just rubs soothing circles along Kyungsoo's back as he tells him everything's going to be fine.

They just stay quiet like this, wrapped in each other's warmth as the chilly wind blows the curtain in front of them. Rain starts to fall gradually outside, making the atmosphere even gloomier.

Jongin can also feel his heart break, just like Kyungsoo.

A phone ring cuts off the scene, so Kyungsoo releases himself from Jongin to answer the call. Jongin just watches on the side, listening to their faint conversation on the phone.

"I need to go to the hospital," Kyungsoo weakly mutters after a while. He wears his glasses and puts on his thin sweater. "Mom said grandpa just woke up... She also said his family is here."

"He has a family?"

"Yeah. When they heard about his condition, his daughter and my cousin flew all the way to Seoul just to see him."

"Oh, I thought he was alone," Jongin says, "You never mentioned he has a wife."

"That's a long story," Kyungsoo says, and he's throwing Jongin his coat and car keys, "Please drive me to the hospital, Jongin... I want to see my grandpa."

"Okay," the other male replies, "I'll drive you there."

Ten minutes later, they arrived at Yonsei Sarang Hospital where Kyungsoo's grandfather is admitted. Jongin insisted to come with Kyungsoo inside, but Kyungsoo told him it's fine, that he can handle it himself. He then told him to go check up on Baekhyun instead, to see if everything is doing just fine.

Jongin drives to Seongdong-gu under the now heavy rain, earpiece plugged in his ear, as he impatiently waits for Baekhyun to pick up his call for the thirteenth time.

Baekhyun hasn't been aswering his calls, and he's getting seriously worried right now. He looks at the time, it's already 6 o'clock and it's getting dark. He's sure Chanyeol and Baekhyun are probably heading out from dinner by now, or they're maybe having a little chat on the way home at this moment.

If that's the case, then Baekhyun can still get his phone to answer him, right? But why can't Jongin contact him?

Jongin traces Baekhyun's whereabouts through GPS, and the last location it can find is around Seoul Forest.

Without wasting a single second, Jongin swerves back the car in haste, and heads to the place as he grips the stirring wheel with unnecessary force.

He wishes that his suspicions are wrong, that Baekhyun might have not met Chanyeol, and that he was left alone.

He hopes he is all wrong.

But unfortunately.

He is right.

Jongin arrives at the park in five minutes. He quicky gets off his car and brings out an umbrella to enter the park. It is raining heavily now even if summer has just started, but Jongin doesn't care, as long as he finds his best friend safe and sound.

Running in circles with rain soaking his shoes, and looking back and forth until he gets tired, don't stop Jongin from wandering around Seoul Forest. He gets his phone, calling Baekhyun so many times and praying that everything is fine.

"Baekhyun!" Jongin calls, and his voice blends in with the rain. "Where are you, Baekhyun!"

No one answers him.

"BAEKHYUN! Answer me! Where are you!?"

Looking to the right, Jongin spots something beside the old telephone booth. It is covered with bushes so he can't see it properly. He walks slowly towards it, realizing that that something is a someone.

Someone who is slouched lowly, face hidden behind his wet fringe, completely drenched in the cold rain.

"FUCK!!!" Jongin curses, his eyes widening in horror as he runs towards the male, as if Baekhyun was a lifeless body abandoned in the rain.

He drops the umbrella and kneels on the ground, bracing Baekhyun up.

"Baekhyun! What happened!!!"

Baekhyun weakly blinks up to the newcomer, seeing a blurry face all wet and worried staring down at him. Seeing Baekhyun's pale cheeks, shuddering lips and blank dull eyes before him, makes Jongin's heart painfully shatter in rage and pain.

He can't believe this is actually happening. He just can't believe Chanyeol didn't meet him. Again.

"Ch-chan... yeol... Is that... you..."

"No! Let's get out of here. Fuck it!" Jongin hisses, and he is carrying Baekhyun up on his back so that they can leave, both soaked in the rain.

Jongin holds him in place as he runs rapidly out of the park, careful for the other male not to fall off his back. Once he gets into his car, he opens the door and gently lays a lethargic Baekhyun on the backseat. He takes off his coat and covers Baekhyun with it in attempt to ease the cold.

Jongin doesn't know what the hell happened, he has no idea what's the reason why Baekhyun was there by himself all soaked in the rain, wet and shivering. He is fucking angry as hell, that he wants to murder that guy for making his best friend wrecked like this.

Who is he to do that? What is his right to leave Baekhyun like that, waiting in the rain? What did Baekhyun do to him to deserve so much pain like this?

"Fuck that bastard."

It's not a minute when Jongin hears Baekhyun's hoarse voice in the midst of silence.

Baekhyun is crying quietly.

And it _fucking_ hurts.

"Baekhyun, please tell me what happened," Jongin says, restraining himself to burst out in anger, "How long have you been in there?"

"I..." Baekhyun cries, "I don't... know..."

"Do you know how much worried I am about you?" Jongin says in a gentle voice, "You should've called me at least, I didn't know what happened to you, nor what were you doing--"

"H-he's... he's gone, Jongin...."

Baekhyun covers his hands with his face, and curls himself into a ball while he weeps, as if it would make him feel better and safer. He can't help bursting out in tears again, thinking Chanyeol won't come back, realizing they can't meet each other because of time disparity.

If it's Time who is holding them apart, Baekhyun won't be able to defy it. He's just a mere human, he's not a powerful god who can manipulate time and go back to the past so he can be with Chanyeol.

"I... I can't be... with.... Chanyeol," Baekhyun says, "I-it's impossible... for us to be together..."

"Why? I don't understand."

Baekhyun pauses, before speaking again in a meek voice.

"We're... We're living.... in a different timeline."

"W-what do you mean?"

"H-he's living in the past while I'm here in the present," Baekhyun continues in broken sobs. "It sounds... crazy.... But it's.... It's the truth... And... and it fucking hurts so much..."

"Baekhyun..."

"W-why is this... happening to me," Baekhyun sobs louder, and it is piercing through Jongin's heart. "Am I... am I a bad person? All I want is to be with Chanyeol.... Is that... Is that wrong...?"

"Baekhyun, you need to change and rest first."

Baekhyun shakes his head as he continues crying his heart out.

"I want.... to be with Chanyeol..."

Jongin doesn't say anything, though, he just drives quietly through the rain, hoping that it would stop soon.

*

It has been a month since then, and Chanyeol didn't come back.

On the first three weeks, Baekhyun still tried contacting his number, hoping Chanyeol's 'Hello, Baekhyun!' would greet him in the morning. But no, it was the same automated voice telling him the number he has dialed does not exist, would welcome him, and it makes him very sick.

That voice would always remind him that Chanyeol doesn't subsist in this time he is living, that he should stop wishing that this is all just a bad dream, a nightmare, where he can just wake up from.

Baekhyun can still remember the day Chanyeol called him. It was 1 o'clock in the morning when he asked him for a copy of that day's newspaper. Baekhyun suddenly went to the place where the old rusty mailbox was, just to prove that everything made sense. He opened the mailbox, and reality painfully stroke his heart where it hurts the most.

The newspaper was still there. Still folded, the way how he stuck it inside.

It fucking hurt so bad. Chanyeol didn't actually get the newspaper. It was there all this time, completely untouched and abandoned.

So this is the actual reality. The reality that Chanyeol is really gone, that Chanyeol and him aren't destined to have a happy ending. Sometimes though, Baekhyun wonders and thinks the what-if's of life. Endless what-if's.

What if he had not thought about meeting Chanyeol in the first place? What if he got contented by them just talking on the phone? What if he hadn't discovered the truth? Maybe they are still happily in love. Maybe he is still waiting for Chanyeol's regular phone calls, asking how was his day. Maybe he can still hear Chanyeol's deep voice, lulling him to sleep, telling him how much he loves him.

Baekhyun doesn't know if living in a delusion with happiness is much better...

Than living in the truth without Chanyeol and suffer like hell.

"I miss you so much," Baekhyun says to himself, only a faceless guy with a voice of Chanyeol flashing in his mind. "I want to see you so bad..."

"Baekhyun," Jongin says in a soft voice.

Jongin has been there, sitting quietly beside him ever since he called him this morning to keep him company.

"I was just thinking..."

"Yeah?"

Jongin rests his head on top of Baekhyun's shoulder as he continues pondering about something in his head.

"What is it?"

"When you... learned about the truth, you couldn't contact Chanyeol anymore, right?"

Baekhyun nods.

"Yeah, it's like.... There's this magical connection between us that just got disconnected when I discovered the time disparity," Baekhyun explains. "I doubt science could explain what happened. It was like a time travel thing..."

"It sounds really crazy."

Baekhyun chuckles bitterly. "I guess I'm insane..."

"Hey. You told me... that Chanyeol was living in the past, right?"

Baekhyun nods. "Yeah, he was..."

"He couldn't just remain in the past, could he?"

Baekhyun turns his head, giving the other male a questioning look.

"What... do you mean?"

"I mean, if time flies in the present, then time also passes in the past... He couldn't just be stuck there forever in the past while you move in with the present..."

"Y-you mean," Baekhyun stutters, "He was in the past.... But he could also be.... in the present?"

"Yes," Jongin says, and it feels so strange talking about it as though this is possible, "He may have been.... continuing to live from the past until now..."

Baekhyun's eyes widen as he feels his heart race.

"J-jongin.... That could be possible. I get your point."

"Right? So, if that's the case then..."

"Chanyeol... He may be..."

Thinking about the possibility, it's as if a huge rock comes crushing down unto Baekhyun now, realizing that Jongin might be right. It might just be a month that has passed for Baekhyun in the present.

But for Chanyeol.

But for Chanyeol it might be....

It might be longer than that in today's time.

"Chanyeol.... He-he may have been," Baekhyun mutters, and he can feel his heart twist again, tears threatening to fall from his eyes, "he may have been waiting for me... until now... He may have been waiting all this time. He-he told me before he left... That's he's going to wait for me... J-jongin... Do you think... He's still waiting... out there...?"

"Maybe he is," Jongin says, patting his best friend's back to comfort him, "But one thing's for sure... If Chanyeol is not yet dead--"

"Jongin!"

"If Chanyeol is still alive, then he is definitely existing in the present, and he is probably much older than you."

"I don't care," Baekhyun says, "I want to see him. I want to still meet Chanyeol. I will... I will find him wherever he is..."

_I'm glad that the fire of determination is back in your eyes again,_ Jongin wants to say, but he chooses not to. He just smiles and puts his hand on the crown of Baekhyun's hair, ruffling it gently.

"If something wrong happens again," Jongin says as he looks at Baekhyun with worry, "Please do not get hurt anymore."

"But I can't promise you that... I already know that if I meet Chanyeol, I will get hurt. I just have to prepare myself," Baekhyun says. "He must be really old by now. He might've also forgotten about me... And started his own family when he reached his thirties..."

"But he promised you, right? He's going to wait for you..."

"I'd be too selfish if I hold on to that promise. He deserved to be happy on his timeline... But thinking about Chanyeol having a happy family now... Or him completely forgetting about me," Baekhyun trails off, "It hurts... so fucking much.... You know why? Because that was my dream... That was my dream for the both of us..."

"It was inevitable, Baekhyun. We didn't know what has happened during the past," Jongin says, "No matter what we do, we couldn't turn back time."

Baekhyun sobs into his palms for the umpteenth time this day. His bloodshot eyes are already swollen from too much crying. But no matter how much tears he expels, the pain never subsides, it is still there.

Time heals they say, but to Baekhyun, time just makes it go worse.

"Jongin, please help me find him," Baekhyun says, "It's not that difficult for now to find someone, right?"

"Yeah. We don't know, maybe he's posting his selca on Instagram by now," Jongin says jokingly, smiling a little.

Baekhyun just frowns. "It's not funny."

"I just want to brighten up your mood."

"Oh, and one more thing..."

"Yeah?"

"Can we keep this from Kyungsoo?" Baekhyun asks, "I don't want him to think that I've completely lost my mind."

"But I think he'll understand you, though. Maybe he can help us."

"But still... I don't want to add up to his problems," Baekhyun says as he plays with his hands on top of his lap. "I mean, I don't want him to worry about me. It's better if he'd just think that I'm happily dating my boyfriend..."

"Baekhyun."

Baekhyun looks at Jongin seriously in the eyes.

"Jongin, promise me that this would be a secret between the two of us, okay?"

"Okay, if that's what you want, babe," Jongin sighs. "I know you're just thinking about Kyungsoo."

"He might get stressed out if he knew about this after all," Baekhyun mutters. "Considering what happened to his grandpa..."

"I hope his grandpa is okay, though," Jongin says, and he is getting his phone from his pocket to text Kyungsoo and ask him if he's okay.

"Yeah," Baekhyun responds, a strange feeling clawing in his heart that is uncalled for. He feels heavy, as if he just wants to cry in pain. "I hope he's okay."

*

Several week has passed.

Baekhyun goes back to school after summer break ended, but he can't say that he has completely moved on from what has happened to him with Chanyeol. To be quite honest, nothing has changed at all. It is as though he just loved Chanyeol more, missed him more, and longed for him more knowing that Chanyeol might be existing in the present just like him.

Jongin is doing the job for the search of Chanyeol in secrecy, because they cannot just publicly look for an old person who is probably dead by now. Baekhyun strongly hopes that Jongin would find him, because he has so many things to say and ask to him, that only words cannot explain if he's going to tell in detail.

"I got the address," is Jongin's first greeting to Baekhyun as soon as he arrives, sitting down on a vacant seat. "Took me a while to get this but yeah, this is it!"

Baekhyun immediately closes the book he is not actually reading, and turns his attention to the other male wearing all-smiles. He wants to yell and cry in joy, but the library prohibits such actions. Instead, he just screams internally, lips stretched wide as he mutters trails of thank you's to his best friend.

"It's in this paper," Jongin whispers, as if he is sharing a top secret. He holds up a piece of folded paper."My old uncle worked at a news agency before so I got help from one of his colleagues."

"Really? Oh my god, thank you so much," Baekhyun gratefully says, "So what did he say?"

"He said that there was a guy named Park Chanyeol who worked at their agency during 1950's," Jongin says, "He also said that people who worked during that time said Park Chanyeol was famous back then, because of his ability to predict the future..."

"What? How?"

"He said things like technology and internet, smartphones and time travel, that people thought he was going crazy," Jongin continues, and that makes Baekhyun gasp.

"He resigned from his job for some reason, and they never saw him again after that. They said Chanyeol had gone abroad and worked there, but no one knew where he exactly went."

"Is he... Is he still alive?" Baekhyun asks, nervousness overcoming his chest as he waits for the reply.

"Yes."

Happiness filled his heart hearing the answer. He almost cries in pure joy, knowing there is still a chance that he can meet the love of his life.

"He really existed in the past, Baekhyun. And he is probably existing right now."

Baekhyun is left speechless by what he is all hearing.

"I... Jongin... Is this... Tell me, this is real right?"

Jongin nods.

"This address I have here is not Park Chanyeol's address. It's an address of a man named Kim Junmyeon, his friend a long time ago who worked as a barista. Chanyeol left it before he went abroad in case someone would want to find him. It will still help a lot, right?"

"Of course! I mean, anything and anyone related to Chanyeol will surely help," Baekhyun says, "Thank you so much for helping me out. I don't know what to do without you."

"No problem. What are best friends for," Jongin says with a smile, handing the piece of paper to the other male. "Here, take this. I haven't seen what's written there yet. Just tell me if you need some help going to that place or something. I could drive you there or come with you--"

Baekhyun shakes his head.

"No, what you did was more than enough, Jongin. I will go there by myself... Besides, I don't wanna take your time anymore. I know that you still have more important responsibility other than me... "

Jongin raises an eyebrow in slight confusion. It takes a few seconds before he completely realized what Baekhyun has said. Baekhyun looks away, feeling a little bit guilty to himself.

"Kyungsoo needs you right now, but look where you are," Baekhyun mutters, "You're here helping me find my nonexisting boyfriend."

"Uh, you have a point."

"You know, you should just better go."

"Right," Jongin says, chuckling softly, "I should go to him right now. He said he's been staying at the hospital though. I'm afraid he hasn't been eating properly."

"You should cook a proper meal for him! Oh, bring him some clean clothes, too. I bet he already smells like shit."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

Jongin bids goodbye to him, leaving him the time for himself to open the paper. He decides to go home first before looking at it. Once he's at home and all ready for bed, he reads the address quietly to himself.

Baekhyun has never heard of that place in Gangwondo, but he will definitely go to the place to meet Chanyeol's friend no matter how far it is. Tomorrow, he will go for a drive. He needs to know where Chanyeol is, and if this would be the first step, he will do anything to get closer to him.

*

"How's your grandfather?"

Jongin is not used to the silence surrounding his ears for a long time. All he can hear right now is the EKG machine beeping monotonously. Kyungsoo is also quiet by his side as he holds his dear grandfather's hand.

"He's okay for now," Kyungsoo responds gently, not taking his eyes off the old man lying unconscious on the hospital bed. "The doctor said he needs to rest after his therapy."

"Will he wake up soon?"

"Yes. He's just sleeping and he'll wake up tomorrow to take his meds."

Jongin sighs, making Kyungsoo look at him suddenly. Kyungsoo throws his boyfriend a worried look.

"Jongin, I think you need to rest too. It seems like you haven't been sleeping a lot these days."

"I'm fine. I'm just... I'm always worried about things."

"I'm sorry," Kyungsoo says apologetically. "I promise to make up to you when things get better."

They fall into another comfortable silence until Kyungsoo decides to speak up.

"Jongin, where is Baekhyun?"

"Baekhyun? Uh, he's been busy with something. Why do you ask?"

Kyungsoo lightly puts down the old man's hand as he turns to his boyfriend. Jongin shoots him a confused look, waiting for the other male to continue talking.

"Is there a chance... That he can come here?"

"Why? Is there something up?"

Kyungsoo chuckles dryly. "It's just, my grandpa suddenly wants to meet Baekhyun."

"Hmm, why all of a sudden?"

"I'm not so sure, but grandpa keeps on mentioning his name during his sleep," Kyungsoo says as he studies his grandpa's face. "It's kind of strange though, I only mentioned Baekhyun to him once."

"Your grandfather has a good memory, I think."

"He also said that he knew a boy in the past that looks like Baekhyun," Kyungsoo adds. "Grandpa must be fond of that boy that he actually painted him when he was young."

Kyungsoo sets his eyes upon the open window of the room. The air is getting chilly so maybe he should close the curtains.

"I think it would be nice if Baekhyun pays me a visit. It's just a little favor for me to ask."

"Kyungsoo, you can see him after a few days. Baekhyun's on a trip right now."

"A trip?"

Jongin looks away. "Yeah, he went on a trip.....with his boyfriend. He didn't exactly tell me where, though."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Don't worry. I'm sure he'll visit you as soon as he comes back," Jongin says as he fumbles with his hands anxiously. It's been two days since Baekhyun left and he hasn't called him one bit.

"I hope he'll come back safe."

"He'll be safe. He's with his man, right?"

Jongin just smiles half heartedly.

*

Arriving in Gangwondo, Baekhyun starts looking for a man named Kim Junmyeon, and the information he got from all the asking brought him to a guest house in Sokcho where he stayed for two days. People there are welcoming and kind, that they even helped him find what he is looking for.

An old lady tells him that Kim Junmyeon was living with his family one bus ride away from where he is staying at. Baekhyun wastes no time and heads to the place with his heart filled with hopes and questions.

Stepping out of the car, Baekhyun finds himself standing in front of a traditional house. Taking a deep breath, he musters courage to ring the old doorbell, waiting for someone to come out.

It's not a while when an old man in his eighties comes out of the door, carefully gazing at Baekhyun with his small and wrinkled eyes. Baekhyun is caught of guard, seeing the man with his cane walk slowly towards him.

"Who are you?" the old man asks in a low voice, slightly annoyed seeing a young boy in front of his gate. He eyes Baekhyun judgingly, as if he's skinning him alive.

Baekhyun forgets how to talk, as he keeps on staring at the old man in awe. He thinks that this might be how Chanyeol looks like right now.

"If you have nothing to say, just leave my house, kid."

_He's kind of rude,_ Baekhyun says to himself. The old man turns his back, but Baekhyun immediately stops him, remembering why he is here in the first place.

"Sir, wait!"

The old man pauses.

"Are you the man named Kim Junmyeon? I came here all the way from Soeul just to meet you."

"How did you know me?"

Baekhyun clears his throat, looking around the place.

"Please let me in first, Kim Junmyeon, sir. I want to talk to you properly."

Deeming he has no choice, Junmyeon just lets Baekhyun into his house. They go inside the living room where Baekhyun finds really cozy and warm. The old man stares at him warily, as if Baekhyun would muggle him anytime.

"So where is your family?" Baekhyun starts, sipping his tea that the old man offered him.

"Just tell me what you came for. I have lots of work to do."

Baekhyun just sighs, and places down his cup of tea on the table.

"Why would a boy like you from Seoul would come see an old man like me? I don't know who you are."

"My name is Baekhyun. I'm Byun Baekhyun," Baehyun says politely, and the old man is suddenly fazed. "I came here... because of Park Chanyeol. I was Chanyeol's lover."

Junmyeon's eyes widen a bit, hearing his old friend's name.

"Sir, you're his old friend, right? You met on a coffee shop sixty years ago where you worked as a barista."

"How did you know that?"

"Because... I was... I was the one whom he was supposed to meet on that coffee shop that day," Baekhyun says, and Junmyeon furrows his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Do not put my old friend's name into some kind joke," Junmyeon mutters. He stands with his cane and faces the window. "Just go home and leave this place."

"Sir, please listen to me."

Baekhyun purses his lips into a thin line.

"I went here because I want to meet him. Please tell me where he is."

Junmyeon turns to look at Baekhyun, and he is greeted with a pair of begging eyes. He takes a deep breath and sighs in resignation. He can still remember what Chanyeol said sixty years ago. It's still very clear in his mind.

"I did not want to believe him," Junmyeon says, and he is speaking in agony, "He told me that one day, a young man named Byun Baekhyun would come looking for him."

"H-he said that?" Baekhyun asks. "He really said that!?"

"Yes. I thought he was going out of his mind. I did not really believe him, but he was telling the truth after all."

"W-what did he say? What had happened to him? Where is he right now!?" Baekhyun asks, and his heart is throbbing again as tears start to trickle down his face.

"He told me he had a lover living in the future," Junmyeon says, and a dry chuckle escapes his lips, "They could not meet because of their different timeline."

"It's true! I am the person he was talking about," Baekhyun says, "Do you believe me?"

Junnyeon takes a pause, before speaking again in a low voice.

"My friend Chanyeol went abroad to work after he resigned from his job. While he was there, he kept on sending me letters in hopes that his lover would come looking for him."

"L-letters?"

"Letters," Junmyeon mutters, "letters that were addressed to a man named Byun Baekhyun."

"I-I am," Baekhyun stutters, as he keeps on crying, "I am Byun Baekhyun..."

"Yes. You must be that person."

Junmyeon quietly leaves the room for a while, and returns after a minute with a big old dusty box he barely carried all the way. He dropped the box on the floor, coughing as the dust scattered up in the air.

"This is worth of five years of letters he persistently sent without fail. Every time the season changed, every Christmas, or even every sixth of the month of May, he sent letters religously for five years as if he could get a reply."

Baekhyun gets the box with both shaking hands, seeing old brown letters all piled up with dust inside. He saw how legible and elegant Chanyeol's handwriting is, and how the other letters are torn because of their age.

The idea of Chanyeol writing letters thinking about him and waiting for him has his heart clenching in great pain. He didn't know about that, he didn't know how Chanyeol had suffered that long. All the time that passed by before he met Chanyeol, even before he was born, all the years wasted, were Chanyeol's all misery loving and waiting for him blindly.

"I have never opened a letter ever since so I do not know what was written in them. Chanyeol had stopped sending letters five years later after he left. The last letter he sent was..."

"W-what was it?"

"It was a wedding invitation," the old man finishes, and Baekhyun's heart felt like ripping into pieces hearing the last words of the sentence.

"The last information I knew about him that time was he got married abroad. We had lost contact to each other as I got my own family too to take care of."

"I-I didn't know," Baekhyun sobs to himself, hugging the box of letters in his arms, "I didn't know... I'm sorry... Chanyeol... You must had a very hard time because of me... I'm sorry..."

"That was all in the past," Junmyeon says, and his expression softens seeing Baekhyun crying his heart out, "For you, it must be only just for a while. But for him, it was a long time ago. You must be the one who is having the hard time."

"I deserve this pain," Baekhyun cries, "I kept him waiting until he got tired and decided to settle down."

"It is not your fault, so do not blame yourself."

Junmyeon goes back to sitting down as he places his bony hands on top of Baekhyun's shoulder. He pats it twice as a sign of comfort. Baekhyun cries softer as he catches for his breath, realizing he didn't come here to just cry.

"Thank you so much," Baekhyun says as he subsides, "For keeping all the letters... And for telling things to me... Thank you."

"I know time would let you meet someday although I did not believe that this could be possible," Junmyeon says. "My old friend, Chanyeol, I can assure you that he is still alive."

"Thank god," Baekhyun says, "Can you tell me... where he is right now?"

"You are indeed on the side of fortune, because I know where he is right now."

Baekhyun's eyes widen in surprise. "Really?"

"You have no regrets going here," the old man says, offering Baekhyun a kind smile. "But you must go back to Seoul, from where you come from."

"To Seoul?"

"Chanyeol, that old friend," Junmyeon says, "He is living in Seoul with his grandson. And I am sure, he has been waiting for you to come all this time."

"How can I reach him? Please tell me, Sir."

Junmyeon stands up, and gets a book sitting on the coffee table. He flips its pages until he stops to where a photo is stuck inside. He takes the picture and smiles sadly.

A note is written at the back of the photo.

_05-22-13_   
_Happy birthday, my dear friend, Junmyeon. He is my grandson I was talking about a few years ago. We will visit you when time gives us a sweet break._   
_\- Park Chanyeol_

"This was the latest thing he had sent me," Junmyeon says, "This is a photo of him and his grandson three years ago. I'm afraid I only had his address in Ilsan. They moved to Seoul a year ago and I do not know where exactly in Seoul they are staying at. But I hope this photo will still help you."

Junmyeon carefully hands the photo to Baekhyun, and the male takes it with his heart hammering inside his chest. He flips the photo and sees an old man smiling beside a familiar boy wearing specs.

"It's his grandson," Junmyeon says, "Do Kyungsoo."

Baekhyun freezes, and all he can think of at the moment is to immediately go back to Seoul and pay Kyungsoo's grandfather a visit.

*

"Baekhyun, finally you fucking picked up! I've been calling you for days, damn it!" Jongin yells over the phone as he goes out of the room for a while to buy a drink. "Where in the world are you right now!?"

[Jongin, I-I'm going back! I finally found him!]

"Listen, you should really go back," Jongin says, as if he's going to throw a fit, "Baekhyun, he's here! Park Chanyeol, he's here in Seoul so you better go back fast! I just realized it after what Kyungsoo has said, that Chanyeol, he is---"

[I know, Jongin. I'm such an idiot for not knowing. I'll be there in an hour.]

"So you finally found out that Chanyeol is Kyungsoo's gradfather!?"

[Yes. I want to meet him so bad. I'm still driving so I'm hanging up.]

"Baekhyun, wait--"

Baekhyun hangs up, leaving Jongin impatient and worried as fuck.

"Thank god he now knows," Jongin says as he palms his face, "I hope everything will be fine when he sees him."

"What did he say?" Kyungsoo asks worriedly, following Jongin outside. "Is Baekhyun going to come?"

"Yeah, he's gonna be here in an hour to meet your grandfather."

"I'm glad they'll finally meet," Kyungsoo says with a teary-eyed smile, "It's Baekhyun my grandpa was talking about after all..."

"I'm sorry for lying to you," Jongin mutters, "It was Baekhyun's decision not to tell you about Chanyeol."

"It's okay. What matters now is that Baekhyun can finally meet his boyfriend," Kyungsoo says with a tiny smile, "Grandpa waited for him for six decades. And now that the time has come for them to meet, I know... That he can finally rest."

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," Kyungsoo says, holding Jongin's hand all of a sudden, "Jongin, let's go somewhere. I'll buy you dinner."

*

_"Baekhyun, I'm scared. Please tell me what's going on..."_

_[Chanyeol, we can't meet each other. It's June 2017 right now. Not January 1957.]_

_"What? Baekhyun, please tell me... Th-this is not real..."_

_[Chanyeol. W-we are sixty years apart.]_

_"I don't believe you... I don't... This is not possible!"_

_[Don't you still understand!? Y-you're in the past! I'm living at the present, which is your future! No matter how hard we try.... We can't... We can never! We can't meet each other!]_

_Tssh.... Tsssh... Tsssh..._

_[That's why we didn't see each other on my birthday! It's because you.... you're living in the past, which is sixty years from now... and I'm living in the present time! There's no possible way we can meet if time is the one holding us apart...!]_

_Tssh.... Tsssh... Tsssh..._

_"B-baekhyun... I can't, I can't hear you properly...! I don't understand! Please talk to me!"_

_There are inaudible noises on the other line, and it sounds like a broken tape that makes Chanyeol suddenly frightened. He looks around the telephone booth, panicking._

_[Ch-chanyeol..... happening!? Tell me what's......!]_

_"I can't hear you, Baekhyun! Please don't hang up! Don't hang up!"_

_Chanyeol hears more chopped and unintelligible sounds._

_"Baekhyun! I can't really hear you! The reception here is quite unstable!"_

_Tssh.... Tsssh... Tsssh..._

_"Baekhyun! What's happening!" Chanyeol screams on top of his lungs as he hears Baekhyun's gibbering voice._

_[Chanyeol..... hang up..... Please, do not....]_

_Tssh.... Tsssh... Tsssh..._

_"If there's no way that we can see each other, I will wait no matter what! And please, do not forget me! I will wait for you even if takes me forever! Please wait for me in your timeline because time flies really fast! Until I get old, I will still wait for you, Baekhyun!"_

_Tssh.... Tsssh... Tsssh..._

_"I love you!"_

_And the line goes dead._

_"BAEKHYUN!!!"_

_-_

Chanyeol opens his eyes.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

It's that dream again.

He takes a deep shaky breath and weakly sighs. Looking around his hospital room, he sees the beeping machine and all the white walls surrounding him. He feels suffocated and tired. He just wants to rest.

Kyungsoo is gone by his side. He recalls the boy telling him before he slept that he will go out and eat.

Everything seems to be normal.

Except from an unfamiliar hand wrapped around his skinny wrist, and a mop of brunet hair sticking on his sheets.

He flinches in shock, eyes widening in surprise.

"W-who is this... young man?"

Chanyeol yanks his hand away weakly, but the brunet is holding him so tight his bones could break. He keeps on pulling his hand away until the brunet wakes up, wincing and moving slightly.

Chanyeol just watches still, studying his movements carefully. _It's not Kyungsoo, right? Then who it might be?_

Baekhyun blinks slowly and yawns for a little, and that makes Chanyeol suddenly caught of guard. He waits for a moment with his breath held in, until the brunet looks at him so that they would have an eyecontact.

Chanyeol's eyes widen.

"I'm sorry I slept," is what Baekhyun's very first greeting to the old man, "I drove for two hours straight to the hospital. I haven't eaten anything yet."

Chanyeol doesn't say anything.

"Kyungsoo went out with Jongin for a while. They'll come back in an hour."

Chanyeol sees with his own two eyes how the young man's lips break into a pretty smile, and how his small crescent eyes crinkle adorably. It brings back memories of the past, how he drew and painted a man who looked exactly like the guy in front of him right now.

It feels like a wonderful dream, because Baekhyun is indeed beautiful. Very beautiful.

"Chanyeol it's me," Baekhyun says in a soft voice, and he is trying his best not to cry, "I'm Baekhyun."

Chanyeol grips the sheets hard as he stares at Baekhyun's young face before him, as he feels a sensation he hasn't felt for decades. The muscles in his mouth felt numb, because he can't speak a single word, seeing the man he has loved for so long, right here existing before him. He hears Baekhyun's soothing voice very clearly, and it is much better than over the phone.

"Chanyeol, do you... do you still remember me?" Baekhyun asks, a tear rolls down his cheek when the old man just stares at him. "I'm here.... I'm finally here and I found you. Did you wait for me?"

"Baek...hyun?"

"Yes, I'm Baekhyun."

Chanyeol's fist slowly loosens as he stares at Baekhyun who is also staring back at him. He wants to touch him, hold him, and hug him, but he's afraid he can no longer do such things.

"You're still very good-looking even if you're this old," Baekhyun says with that breathtaking smile. "I'm very happy that I finally meet you in person."

"Baekhyun..."

"Hm?"

"Can I... touch you?"

"Of course."

Baekhyun takes Chanyeol's hand and brings it gently to his face, letting the old man touch it. Chanyeol cups Baekhyun's smooth cheek, realizing that Baekhyun is real, that what's happening right now is very real.

"You are really.... Beautiful."

"I am?" Baekhyun laughs. "I get that a lot, you know."

Chanyeol's trembling lips break into a weak smile, savoring that precious moment. He slowly trails his hand up Baekhyun's cute nose, up to his eyes, up to to his soft black hair, and back again to his cheeks. Baekhyun is smiling all throughout, his heart filled with overwhelming joy.

"How... did you find... me?" Chanyeol asks.

"I went to look for your old friend, Junmyeon and asked him about you. He told me everything and gave me your letters."

"All of them?"

"Yeah, all of them," Baekhyun says softly, "Thank you for sending me letters for five years. I will read them always and I won't get tired."

Chanyeol smiles softly, remembering how he wrote those letters when he was very lonely abroad. He thought about Baekhyun in every letters he sent, hoping that the male would soon read them.

"Please... Read me one."

"Oh, you want me to read you one? Wait."

Baekhyun gets a letter from his pocket that he randomly picked out. He opens the old brown letter carefully, and clears his throat. Chanyeol waits patiently, not bothering to take off his hand from Baekhyun's other hand.

"Okay, so you sent this letter on October 9, 1960."

"That was.... a long time ago."

"I know right? Can you guess what it says?"

Chanyeol shuts his eyes close for a while.

"It says... That I got promoted?"

"Hmm. Let's see," Baekhyun says before starting to read.

"Dear Baekhyun, I am writing this letter to you because I just wanted to let you know that I got promoted," Baekhyun says in a lively voice as Chanyeol listens with eyes closed while smiling a little, "My co-workers gave me wine as a present but I'm afraid I can drink it without you. I wish you were here beside me, because every day passing by without you by my side," Baekhyun pauses, and he can feel tears again in his eyes, "is a moment that my heart breaks.... I miss you so much... And I will always love you. Forever..."

Baekhyun folds the paper back gently as his expression falls. He has cried a lot when Chanyeol was sleeping, and he doesn't want to cry anymore. But it is really hard trying not to, especially if everything reminds him of the time passed without him by Chanyeol's side.

"I'm sorry," Baekhyun says in a broken voice, "That you lived for a very long time without me... I'm sorry..."

"Baekhyun..."

"It's been only three months, Chanyeol," Baekhyun sobs, "And the pain is still here, very fresh in my heart, that I feel like I can't forgive myself for everything that has happened in the past."

"It is not your fault," Chanyeol whispers, "It's time.... who held us apart... not you, so please... Do not blame yourself.... I did not regret meeeting you in the past.... Because now... I can finally see you, right here before me...."

Baekhyun's tears begin streaming down his face as his heart twists, seeing Chanyeol, weak and old, lying on the bed in sickness. If he came only sooner, then he won't have to see Chanyeol being miserable like this.

"Please do not cry.... I'm sorry, Baekhyun, I cannot do anything... Since I'm already old..."

"I still love you no matter what," Baekhyun mutters, "My feelings didn't change. I still love you so much."

"I'm sorry," Chanyeol replies, "I didn't fulfill my promise to you... They want me.... to find someone... But even if I got married.... Even I had a family... my heart.... My heart was still yours, Baekhyun... I only loved one person.... And that is you."

Baekhyun's lips break into a smile as he wipes his tears by the back of his hand.

"I never stopped.... loving you, Baekhyun."

Chanyeol holds up his hand to reach Baekhyun's cheek, wiping the tears with his thumb. Baekhyun smiles, and holds Chanyeol's skinny hand lovingly.

"Thank you for saying that," Baekhyun says. "But where are they? Your family?"

"My wife died.... when she gave birth to Kyungsoo's mother..."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."

"You said you were sorry.... But you're actually smiling..."

Baekhyun hides the big smile on his mouth.

"I'm not smiling!"

Chanyeol chuckles weakly.

"You're really cute... When you smile like that... I regret... that I have to see it just now..."

"Come on, don't say that. We still have a lot of time ahead of us!" Baekhyun says happily. "We're gonna spend time with each other now that I'm here. I'm gonna take care of you, and I'm not gonna leave by your side. I'll do anything you like, just say it."

Baekhyun's eyes are sparkling, and they are so beautiful like Chanyeol just wants to see them forever.

"Anything?"

"Yes, anything."

But forever does not exist, and he knows that he only have a short time left in earth unlike this young man with him. He knows that they can still be with each other in another place.

"Baekhyun..."

Another place where they could be both young.

"Hm?"

Chanyeol turns to look at the open window, seeing the skies outside getting dark. He lightly squeezes Baekhyun's palm as he says:

"I want.... to watch the sunset."

"Sunset?"

"Take me out on a drive... And let's watch the sunset..."

Baekhyun takes Chanyeol to Han River with his car. He carried the old man using a wheel chair, and it was as if they were escaping the hospital as they leave. Baekhyun left a note to Kyungsoo so that he won't get worried.

As they arrrive at Han River, Baekhyun gently put Chanyeol on his wheelchair so that they can both watch the calm river before them, the orange skies up above, and the beautiful sun starting to descend gradually.

"It's so beautiful," Baekhyun says as he backhugs Chanyeol who is sitting down on the wheelchair. Perching his chin on top of Chanyeol's right shoukder, he has his arms wrapped around him as he whispers in a soft voice:

"Look at the skies, Chanyeol..."

Chanyeol doesn't say anything. He just has his eyes closed silently, as if he was very sleepy and tired.

"Chanyeol, open your eyes... Don't sleep yet. Look, the sunset is so amazing from our view."

Silence.

"Do you know that everytime I pass by at the Han River, I always wished of coming here with you to watch the sunset or the fireworks?" Baekhyun mutters with a smile, "And now it's really happening that this feels like just a dream."

"Are... are you happy?"

"Of course," Baekhyun answers. "I'm finally here with you."

"Baekhyun..."

"Hm?"

Chanyeol turns his head closer to whsiper into Baekhyun's ear.

"Can you hum me... a lullaby?"

"A lullaby?"

"I'm getting.... kind of sleepy."

Baekhyun pauses for a while before he continues.

"Do you want to sleep? Should I take you back to the hospital?"

Chanyeol shakes his head.

"No... I want... to stay here a bit longer with you..."

Baekhyun hugs Chanyeol tighter when the chilly wind blows towards their direction. He wants to make the other feel how warm he is, how safe he is right now in his arms. He wishes time would just stop, and he hopes that he can be with Chanyeol longer.

"Baekhyun...."

"Hm?"

"Let's meet.... each other in another place..."

Baekhyun starts to hum.

"Hmm... hmm...."

"In another place.... where we could be both young..."

Baekhyun continues humming a sweet slow tune as tears fall down from his eyes.

"In that place... Where we can be always together.... In that place where we can love each other forever..."

"Chanyeol..."

"I want.... To say thank you.... And goodbye to you, my love."

"Ch-chanyeol," Baekhyun says as he stops humming, and he is hugging the old man for all he is worth.

"I will always love you.... I will come with you... Please wait for me..."

Chanyeol takes his one last shaky breath, as he says in a low fading voice:

"I... love...."

The skies are now dark, the sun has completely made its way behind the mountains.

Baekhyun is left crying alone, holding a cold hand that was once warm.

******

_Epilogue_

"You're always staring at that portrait, Granpa."

The young boy lightly squeezes his Grandpa's hand as he smiles. His grandfather gives him a weak nod as a reply, blinking his eyes slowly while he looks ahead at the portrait of a young man painted in oil. It is hanging on the wall beside the grandfather clock adjacent to an old telephone the boy knows his grandfather treasures a lot.

"You need to rest. You must be tired."

"Son," the old man mutters in his raspy voice, not bothering to tear his gaze away from that hazel brown eyes. "If I rest now.... will I be able to meet him again?"

The young boy furrows his eyebrows as he fixes his grandfather's pillow. "Is it that man that you said you will love forever?"

The old man chuckles wryly. "Yes."

"You love him so much that you even named me after him," the boy answers as he snickers. "Right?"

"Channie..."

"Yes, grandpa?"

"I'm glad... that the time has finally come." The old man's movements are lagged due to his age. "I can already feel it..."

"What are you talking about, Grandpa? You're being creepy!" the boy says as he glares at the gray-haired man lying defenseless on the bed. "It's like you're going to leave soon."

"Maybe soon... We don't know."

"But I will be sad!"

"Always remember... that even if I'm not here anymore," his grandpa mutters. "I will always be watching you... From up there.."

"Don't say things like that," the young boys says as he cries, walking out of the room, "I'm going to call Mom. MOM!!!"

The old man just nods, closing his eyes as he places his bony hands on top of his stomach. He hums, letting the sunlight streak to his wrinkled face.

He wants to rest, because finally...

Finally, he can meet Chanyeol.

He can be with him to that place.

To that place where he can be young again.

To that place where he can love again.

To that place, where the man he loves has been waiting---

"Chanyeol," Baekhyun mutters, closing his eyes as he takes his one last shaky breath:

"I will finally.... come home to you."


End file.
